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The influence of errors on plasma-confining magnetic fields

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1962 J. Nucl. Energy, Part C Plasma Phys. 4 253
(http://iopscience.iop.org/0368-3281/4/4/303)
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Plasma Physics (Journal of Nuclear Energy, Part C), 1962, Vol. 4, pp. 253 to 262. Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Northern Ireland

THE INFLUENCE OF ERRORS ON PLASMA-CONFINING

MAGNETIC FIELDS*
D. W. KERST
General Atomic Division of General Dynamics Corporation, San Diego, Calif., U.S.A.

(Received 2 March 1962)

Abstract-Endless lines of force confined in toroidal plasma containing geometries are subject to periodic
perturbations by field errors which can produce integral, half-integral, third-integral, and quarter-integral,
etc. resonant-like disturbances on the spiralling line of force. A formal analogy exists between the topology
of a trace of a line of force in the co-ordinate space of a plasma-confining region and the trace of a phase
point in the phase space for a particle orbit in an accelerator. The methods used for determining stability
limits for particles in periodic accelerators are thus applicable to the problem of confining lines of force in
stellarators and pinches. Examples are given and computer methods are described for typical stellarator
configurations subject to a variety of field errors.
I NTRODUCTION

FORthe construction of plasma-confining magnetic

fields a sufficient knowledge of the necessary field

possibly higher-order resonances) which are excited

by certain types of periodic field errors. The lines of
force may leave the aperture of the stellarator at
these resonances. In the L = 2 (quadrupole) case,
the stability limit has zero area for integral, halfintegral, etc. resonances to which the transform is
subject. Thus, for L = 2 at the Kruskal limit, which
is an integral resonance, the lines of force would leave
the confining region due to the effect of field errors
without regard to the magnetohydrodynamic stability.
For the L = 3 (sixpole) case, the stability limit or
critical surface is located at the areas perimeter for
which the transform is tuned to integral, half-integral,
third-integral, or fourth-integral rotations in one
structure period; and the magnitude of the exciting
error, respectively dipole, quadrupole, sixpole, or
octupole errors, determines how far the lines of force
migrate.
Analytical and computer methods for studying the
tolerances and the topological properties of transforms can be taken from the accelerator literature.
(COURANT
and SNYDER,1958; LASLETT
and SYMON,
1956; HAGEDORN
et al., 1956; STURROCK,
1958 and
KERSTet al., 1960). Some examples of the methods
and of the magnitude of the effects of errors on the
aperture or stability limit for a stellarator will be
pointed out.

tolerances is not available. However, something can

be said about tolerances for a vacuum field or for a
field modified by distributed currents exclusive of the
question of how plasma magnetohydrodynamics may
affect these tolerances. The case considered in detail
is that of endless lines of force in a closed toroidal
system like a stellarator or toroidal pinch. These
systems are periodic in structure-in all cases with
periodicity equal to the circumference. In stellarators
there is an additional periodicity equal to the period
of the helical windings field pattern. Thus, errors
are periodically applied to a line of force, and this
periodic aspect creates remarkable resonance-like
effects, which can be much more serious than distributed errors.
We can draw help for this tolerance question from
the extensive experience with the similar tolerance
problem for periodic structures used in particle
accelerators. There is an analogy between the topology
of magnetic surfaces (SPITZER,1958) generated by
stellarator magnetic field transforms in co-ordinate
space and the topology of particle trajectories in the
phase space of a periodic accelerator (KERST,1959,
1960). Both are the results of periodic applications
of transformations of initial conditions. The result is
THE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
that, as in an accelerator, the stellarator transforms
First, the differential equations of lines of force of
can be sensitive to integral, one-half integral, one-third a confining field and the differential equations of
integral, and one-fourth integral resonances (and trajectories of phase points in an accelerator have
some similarity. We apply a uniform Bz for the con* This work was carried out under a joint General Atomic- fining field on which is superimposed components B,
Texas Atomic Energy Research Foundation programme on
and B, of a multipole field generated by poles or wires
controlled thermonuclear reactions.
253

D. W. KERST

254

slowly rotated about the 2 axis as the lines of force

are followed in the 2 direction.

du=B_y

B,

dz

are the differential equations for a line of force. The

period of the structure is so long that we neglect the
slight variation of B,. The similarity to accelerator
equations for co-ordinates and momentum was
described in KERST(1959, 1960). SYMON(1962) has
recently carried this similarity of magnetic field and
phase space topology further. He uses the dependent
variables x and

y', 4 dy'

p =[Bz(x,

(2)

away from the unstable equilibrium point at x = 0.

Likewise, lines of force in the quadrupole field leave
the region of the null point. If the quadrupole is
twisted as the line of force progresses in the 2 direction, then the signs in H alternate and the possibility
of lines of force remaining stably near an equilibrium
point exists-just as charged particles moving through
alternately focusing and defocusing fields can be
focused. This is the case examined in the subsequent
discussion.
While the formal analogy to particle orbits may be
suggestive, it is not pursued here. Rather the techniques used in the study of tolerances for orbits in
periodic structures will be applied to some magnetic
field examples.
Several cases of multipole fields will be examined,
starting with the equations for multipole fields
(SPITZER,1958)

so that1the:flux;through a contour C is

B, = Bo(;r-'sin

(LO - z/A)

0 = I Cp d x
and this area in p and x variables is preserved as we
follow flux lines in the z direction.
For a line of force

- _-- _*-di

B,

ap
(3)

-_dz

where A is 1/(27r) times the length of the period of the

twisted structure t o repeat similar multipole field
patterns (not the period for a particular magnetic
member to come back to its original position except in
the dipole case).
From (4) we obtain

B,

and

B,

where H i s a Hamiltonian since

employing some of the methods of dynamics to the

Hamiltonian form of the magnetic field line problem.
A simple example of a Hamiltonian form for a
quadrupole magnetic field superimposed perpendicularly on a uniform field, B,, in the Z direction is:
BL = (Bll/rJY
B, = (4l/rll).~
and p = yB, giving
H = (B,/r,,)[(p/B,)2 - s2].

This is analogous to a Hamiltonian for a particle of

momentum, p , 011 a potential hill. The particle inoves

( [ L - 11 0 - ./A)

First, consider the quadrupole case, L

(5) becomes
B,

SYMON carries this development much further,

= BO(kr-'sin

= (Bo/ro)(ycos

2, where

[ z / 2 ]- x sin [?/I])

B, = (Bo/ro)(xCOS [i/A] - y sin [i/R]).

(6)

These can be combined with (1) to give the fourthorder differential equation

which gives a stable periodic solution x

with no exponential growth, provided

cos R

The influence of errors on plasma-confining magnetic fields

At the condition of equality there is one value for s2

n,

1/(2K).

(9)

At this limit the line of force twists half-way around

while the multipole pattern repeats once. Thus, the
line can twist just as fast as a given pole. For (119;)
> 2Bo/(roB,) we get two values of Q-one low
frequency Q L < Q, and another high frequency
Q H > R,.
Since Q L determines the overall periodicity of a line of force, the highest value Q, can have
is half the frequency of the field pattern.
This problem resembles the case of a Mathieu or
Hill equation (as encountered in alternating gradient
accelerators) in which the highest stable frequency
is half the period structure frequency. There is thus a
stability limit on the magnitude of the rotational
transform for a line of force.
The structure need not be continuously twisted to
produce a transform; it may be composed of straight
segments with the successive segments orientated
differently. In this case, the transform can be described by the use of transfer matrices for the quadrupole ( L = 2 ) case; or, for L > 2, by computations
using the differential equation or equivalent successive
non-linear algebraic transformations if they can be
found.
A simple case for which such non-linear algebraic
transformations can be found is that of the multipole
segments representing only a n infinitesimal portion
of the 2 path-most of which has only B,.
The segmented L = 2 case is treated in the Appendix
with the result that the limiting rotational transform
period is twice as long as the field repetition period,
the same as (9) shows for a twisted quadrupole.

255

Geometrically we can see what is involved if a AB* is

applied periodically as we follow the line of force
(Fig. 1). This displacement, 6, can be roughly
UNPERTURBED
LINE CLOSING

PATH OF
CLOSED N
/LIE
,OF FORCE

FIG.l.--Path of the closed line of force in the cross

sectionof a torus in which ABais added every time theline
completes one circuit around the torus. The case at the
left is for v 1 while the case at the right is v 1.

<

estimated by S = (ABEW)/(2B,sin - where Wis the

2
Z extent of a field error AB,. As I + 2nn where n is
an integer, we see that the equilibrium position does
not exist.
If we plot the locus of a particular line of force at
the same point in circumference of the torus, we get
magnetic surfaces (Fig. 2).

EFFECTS O F FIELD PERTURBATIONS

A confining field of a periodic (toroidal) structure

with a n amplitude independent transform angle
I = 2nv per circuit around the structure will be
sensitive to a transverse field applied at one point
in the structure especially when Y is close to an integer.
For v integral, the lines of force leave the structure
because the perturbation is in phase with the transform period. I is constant for all distances from the
centre for L = 2 or for a pinch discharge with. a
uniform current density and a uniform B, or for any
shearless case (we neglect the effect of the curvature
around a torus on the transforms).
Besides the resonant destruction of the confining
field, a transverse field causes a displacement of the
central or equilibrium line of force which closes
on itself. This displacement can be calculated by
methods described i n COURANT
and SNYDER
(1958).

FIG.2.-Locus of a line plotted every circuit around the

torus. The circuits are numbered. The central fixed point
is the closed line of force.

If the field error AB, N X , then half-integral

resonances are excited. Following a line we have the
resultant resonance shown in Fig. 3. We have an
exponential growth. Such an error can be caused by
a quadrupole field error. If the tune is near nx = I,
then a beating or throbbing (COURANT
and SNYDER,
1958) of amplitude occurs near the unstable region
for I.

256

D.W. KERST
Taking X and Y in units of r, and Z in units of 2
with B = (Bo2)/(roB,),we have x = X/ro, y = Y/ro,

= zp..

(10) becomes
dx -8[2xy cos 2n-z - (x2 - yz) sin 2n-z]
dz

_
dy -- b[2xy sin 2n-z + (x2 - y2) cos 2n-zJ.
dz

I=ns

FIG.3.-A half-integral resonance, following the line of

force around the torus, is excited by ABz which reverses
polarity on opposite sides of the origin.

While stellarator transforms are chosen to be well

below 1 = 2n-, pinch discharge transforms may be
much higher and may suffer resonance in certain
plasma layers due to field perturbations; but for
structures giving small transform angles one-third
integral, one-fourth integral, etc. resonance may be
excited when certain kinds of field error, depending
on higher powers of X,are present.
This can be seen in the following way: if v is the
number of complete field line revolutions per circuit,
Xapproximately describes the X co-ordinate
of a line. If AB, ,-X, then ABx-eiQ . If the
structure error giving AB2 has a harmonic component
e*ik+ describing its distribution around the torus, then
AB, -ei(m+k)+. If mv ,
Ik = &v, then we have a
resonant application of AB, which causes a growth
of the X co-ordinator of the line of force. Whether
or not the line will leave the aperture depends upon
changes of tune with amplitude and the magnitude of
the field error.
For ABz X 2 , we have m = 2 and thus a resonant
possibility at v = 1/3 (one-third integral resonance).
For AB, ,-X 3 , we may have trouble at v = 1/4, etc.
A B x - X 2 would result from a n L = 3 or sixpole
field error a t some azimuth around a torus; and
ABr X 3 would result from the presence of an
octupole magnetic field error at some point in the
structure.
To demonstrate some of these effects, digital
computer runs were made for a structure with L = 3.
( I ) and (5) give
dX/dZ = (Bo/(B,rt)][2XYCOS ( Z / 2 )
- (P- Y2) sin (Z/Z)]
d Y/dZ = [B,,/(B,r,,)][ZXYsin (Z//s)
-+ (P- Y 2 )sin ( Z / 2 ) ] . (10)
N

(11)

These differential equations were used for digital

computer calculations.
Figure 4 shows the xo dependence of the number of
sectors for a transformation I of 2n-. In general
ZN
The initial condition is yo = 0 and
p = 1 in all examples subsequently given. For L = 3
an essential resonance occurs with the structure for 3
sectors for I = 2n-, and the lines of force leave the
limit set for the computer (2 y 2 = 25) at x, 2 2.0.
Figure 5 shows this limiting magnetic surface for no
field errors. The plot gives a line of force position
every 10 sectors. This limiting x, = 2.0 is shown in
Fig. 4 for 3 sectors per complete rotation of a line of
force.
To test the sensitivity of the magnetic field topology
to imperfections in the field, errors were imposed
once every 10 sectors for an extent in the Z direction
equivalent to one sector length. In some cases the x
displacement of the line was applied and in other cases
the differential equation of the line of force passing
through the sector containing errors was actually
integrated.
For sixpole or L = 3 transforms, Ivaries with x or
r so that resonant tune is not maintained after x grows
a little. However, a large enough error will drive the
lines of force out. Figure 4 shows that the integral
resonance, v = 1, immediately appeared ( A x = 0.05)
and gave a maximum stable value of xo = 1.4. Larger
errors, Ax = 0.1 and 0.2, brought the stable limit
down further to xo = 1-1 and 0.6, respectively. This
is the usual experience-that errors decrease stability
limits. Figure 6 shows magnetic surfaces with Ax
= 0.1, Fig. 7 with Ax = 0.2. As the limit is approached, the erratic behaviour of the lines becomes
evident. I n Fig. 7 we see seven islands. These
represent one bundle of flux closing on itself after
seven transits around the torus, and there can be no
pressure gradients along the contours around this
bundle. This demonstrates the effect of errors in
creating a topology which cannot support desired
pressures. A shearless layer of lines occurs at the
centre of the bundle (dl)(d.r,,) = 0. Figure 8 shows
the effect of error magnitude on available area or

The influence of errors on plasma-confining magnetic fields

80
t

$ 70
0
T

tz 60
50
d

D:
>

40

114 INTEGRAL RESONANCE

30

113 INTEGRAL RESONANCE

E
20

112 INTEGRAL RESONANCE

0
D:

:IO

INTEGRAL RESONANCE

ESSENTIAL LIMIT

1.0
INITIAL DISTANCE FROM CENTRE

2.0

FIG. 4.-The number of sixpole (L = 3 and B = 1) periods for a complete

rotation of a line of force is shown as a function of the initial position, xo, of the
line (in all cases,y, = 0). The loci ofessential, integral, half-integral one-third
integral, and one-fourth integral resonances are shown. In addition some observed stability 1imits:are given for different types of field errors.

-2.2 -20 -1.8 -1.6 -14 -1.2

*W-F++

FIG.5.-The limiting magnetic surface for no field errors. A line goes through 3
magnet periods before it circulates through 2 ~ Successive
.
points on the plot are
10 magnet periods or sectors apart.

257

D.W. KENT

258

05

-to

-8

-6

-4

-2

-2

-018

OB

-kO

06

FIG. 6.-Limiting magnetic surface for transverse; field error described

by A x = 0.1. Field line positions are printed 10 magnet periods apart.
Circled points are loci of an escaping line of force started outside the
stable region.

t
-6

-.e

FIG.7.-Limiting magnetic surface for transverse field error Ax = 0.2. The

stable limit is small and a bundle of flux closing on itself every seven turns around
the IO-period structure is seen. A line through thecentre ofthese bundles is the
locus of a shearless layer of lines of force (dI)/(dx(,) = 0.

The inff uence of errors on plasma-confining magnetic fields

259

.05

0.15

0.1

0.2

Ax

FIG.8.-Shrinking of available aperture area as a function of the magnitude of

the transverse field error.

aperture. To indicate the magnitude of these field

errors, note that Ax = 0.1 is equivalent to a field
error which is 0.1 of the multipole field strength at
the distance Y = x = 1 and which is present on only
one of the 10 sectors.
Quadrupole field errors were next applied after the
passage of the tenth sector. The form of the error
was Ax = Cx, Ay = -Cy. This is a real error field
since it satisfies Maxwells equations. However, it can
also be considered a transformation x2 = x1 Cx,,
y 2 = y1 - Cy, for which the Jacobian is 1 - C2.
Since B, is constant, the density of points is to be
constant, and we want the Jacobian unity. Tests were
made with C = 0.05 and xo = 0.95. The vacuum
field was unstable with the lines of force leaving the
field after 34 passages through the field error. Since
1 - C2 = 1 - 0.0025 or a (0.0025) area error for one
passage, the worst fractional area error after 34
passages would be 0.09 or a fractional radial excursion
of -0.045. This excursion does not take the line of
force out of the aperture. In fact, since the Jacobian
is less than one, the area should shrink inwardly.
Consequently, we conclude that the physical halfintegral resonance effect at x, = 0.95, and not the
computational error, was responsible for the instability of the line of force.
This field error at x = 1 is 0.05 of inultipole field
at x = r = 1, and the error is applied only on one
sector length among the ten sectors. The test was not

extended to smaller errors to find the minimum error

which would destroy containment at the half-integral
Kruskal limit.
With A/? = 0.1 we excite one-third integral resonances and find no serious instability. Instead, in Fig.
9 we show three bundles of flux appearing, which
means one bundle closing on itself after three transits
around the torus. As mentioned earlier, this can be
caused by a strengthening or weakening of a six-pole
lens at some azimuth. This behaviour is similar to the
three-bundle behaviour observed in the plasma of the
stellarator (BERNSTEINet al., 1959). Again in the
centre of these bundles, (dZ)/(dx,) = 0 or a shearless
layer exists and no pressure difference can exist across
the flux bundle. The existence of such bundles for a
pressure-bearing plasma has been discussed by
OHKAWA
and KERST(1961).
For an octupole error, a Maxwellian 1 = 4 field
was applied for one sector length and then the
differential equation for the unperturbed L = 3
stellarator was followed for ten sectors, then the error
field was again applied, etc. The line of force differential equation in the sector containing a Maxwellian
octupole error is,
dx/dz = &(x3- 3 ~ ~ 4
dy/dz = .b3 - 3 ~ 2 ) .
Thirty-two Runge-Kutta steps were taken in the
error sector. Figure 10 shows the results with

260

D. W. KERST

T O

-1.0

FIG.9.-A 10 percent strengthening of theL = 3 field for 10 per cent of the

torus circumference (p -+ Bo -!- 0.1) causes a one-third integral resonance
with stable lines of force at x,, larger than the resonance region. The
resonance does not cause lines to leave the aperture as the one-half integral
resonance does.

-.9

FIG. lO.-Octupole errors (see text) cause the cross section of a flux bundle to
appear four times at the one-fourth integral resonance. The error destroys confinement outside the half-integral Kruskel limit.

The influence of errors on plasma-confining magnetic fields

261

x = 0.097. The one-fourth-integral resonance is ex- design. The handling of digital computer programming and
was ably carried out by MR. PETERKAESTNER.
pected for xo = 0.7 and as expected the four passages Iexperimentation
am also grateful for discussions on this topic with K. R. SYMON
of a flux bundle appear. The size of the error is not and M. ROSENBLUTH,
who examined a pinch case, and especially
who has studied these topological questions in
sufficient to cause instnbility for this xo,and thus a with T. OHKAWA,
and KERST, 1961).
magnetic surface can be seen surrounding the separa- the presence of pressure gradients (OHKAWA
trix of the flux bundle. However, at x0- 1.0, the
REFERENCES
half-integral resonance, the error is sufficient to BERNSTEIN
W., KRANZA. Z . and JENNERF. (1959) Phys. Fluids
2, 713.
destroy the confining field outside. With tl = 0.2
E. D.and SNYDER
H. S. (1958) Ann. Phys. 3, 1.
and xo= 0.7, the octupole error destroys the field COLJRANT
HAGEDORN
R., HINEM. G. N . and SCHOCHA. (1956) Procontainment outside xo.
ceedings of the International Conference on High Energy
Accelerators and Pion Physics Vol. I, p. 237, CERN.
A phenomenological estimate was made of the size
KERSTD. W. (1959) Bull. Amer.phys. Soc. 114, 352.
of the flux bundles, assuming the transform angle of KERST
D. W. (1960) Bull. Amer.phys. Soc. 115, 352.
the structure is
KERSTD. W. et al. (1960) Rev. sei. Instrum. 31, 1076.
LASLETT
L. J. and SYMONK. R. (1956) Proceedinps of the InterI = 2%-v(r/r0>2'L-2).
notional Corlference on High Eiiergy Acceleritor; and Pion
For an error field
Physics Vol. I, p. 279, CERN.
O H K ~ WT.Aand KERSTD. W. (1961) Bull. Amer,phys. Soc. 116,
b, = bo(r/ro)(l-l)sin IO
290.
SPITZER
L. S.(1958) Phys. Fluids 1,257.
bo = bo(r/ro)(L-l)
cos IO

we find the radial width of the bundle

A=

2r0

2/4.nv(L - 2)IB,r0/(b0W)- ( I - 2p

STURROCK
P. A. (1958) Ann. Phys. 3, 113.
SYMONK. R. (1962) To be published.

APPENDIX
The segmented case corresponding to (6) has
BO
Cy COS 2+ - x sin 2+)
yo

where yo is the radius at the flux bundle, B, is the main

stellarator field, and W is the circumferential distance
occupied by the 21 pole error. For the large A case,
v = Ill,
2Y"
A=
d ( L - 2)4%-roB,/(boW)- ( I - 2)1*

&

The second term is usually much smaller than the first,

We see that a quadrupole, L - 2, or a figure eight
stellarator, has extremely large fieldline excursions or
flux bundles. This formula predicted the width of the
flux bundles within 10 per cent for the octupole error
shown in Fig. 10.
Any particular stellarator design would require
ad hoc testing for sensitivity to field errors. For
example, a figure eight torus has the same transform
angle, I, for all magnetic surfaces. The response to
dipole, quadrupole, etc. errors would be different
from the responses for an L = 3 structure, but the same
critical v values would be present and would be much
more destructive in the L = 2 or figure eight case.
If a current density is present in the z direction, it
adds to or subtracts from I , thereby moving the
operating point relative to the critical values of v.
Non-uniform current densities would add (U)/(&)
# 0, thereby bringing in the non-linear transformation
effects seen for L > 2.

2
dz = ct(x cos 24 + y sin 24).

Ackriow/r~~r~ierits--lt
is n pleasure to acknowledge the help of
ERNESTCOURANT
in the early studies with the digital computer
for the application of techniques employed in particle accelerator

B
5, = 2

sin 24

r0

+ x cos 2+)

angular position of a segment. Then, with

dx
dz

-=

a(y cos 2+ - x sin 2+)

We choose four positions for the segments in one period or

sector:
= 0,
= ~ / 4 4%
, = 71/2,+% = (371)/4.
The solutions for
= 0 are

+,

x = xo cosh a(z - zo) i

yo sinh a(z

= yo cosh ct(z - z,,)

or in the matrix form,

+ xosinh ct(z

cosh a(z - zo) sinh ct(z - zo)

sinh afz - zo) cosh a(z - zo)

For

+3 =

7112
M3

and for

=(

zo)

z,,)

("")=MI(;).
yo

cosh ct(z - zo) -sinh u(z - 2")'

-sinh a(z - zo) cosh u(z - zo),

(3~)/4

D. W. KERST

262

The determinant of all these matrices is unity, thus insuring

the area preserving requirement for uniform B,.
The transformation for a complete sector is

v, here
M=(

cosh2 a(z - zo) - eWz-zo) sinhz a(z - zo),

cosh a(z - zo)sinh a(z - za)[l - e- W - z o ) ] ,
cosh a(z - zo)sinh r ( z - zo)[l - e2x(z-z0)]

cosh* a(r - zo) - e-Wz--Zo) sinhz a(z - za)

and the trace M = all uZ2is equal to twice cos p where p is
the angle of rotation of a line of force in a complete sector.
cos p = 1 - 2 sinh4 a(z - zo).
There is a range in which
-1 < c o s p < -1

showing stable oscillatory solutions for

0 < (B02'/4roEz) < 0.887

where 3 = 4(z - zo)is the total length of a sector composed of
the four segments successively rotated 45". We cannot get
stability with just two segments, M I M , = M or M,M, = M,
since trace M = 2 so we cannot confine lines of force with just
two segments per sector. With three segments per sector, we can
have confinement of lines (stability) if 2 = 3(z - zo) and
0

< (B09)/(3r0Bs)
< 1.32.

Notice that just as (9) shows for the twisted structure the transformed line of force can rotate as fast as a pole and no faster for
stability, so also -1 = cos ,U shows that the limit for the segmented structure is for a line of force going half-way around for
one field period which is just the same amount that a particular
pole of a quadrupole rotates in one field period.
Gaps between segments where there is E , only do not alter the
results since the transfer matrix is the unit matrix in such gaps.