Finite $β$ Effects on Short Wavelength Ion Temperature Gradient Modes

Abstract

The electromagnetic effect is studied on the short wavelength branch of the ion temperature gradient mode in the linear regime for the first time using a global gyrokinetic model. The short wavelength ion temperature gradient mode growth rate is found to be reduced in the presence of electromagnetic perturbations at finite plasma β. The effect on real frequency is found to be weak. The threshold value of η i is found to increase for the mode as the magnitude of β is increased.The global mode structure of the short wavelength branch of the ion temperature gradient mode is compared with the conventional branch. The magnetic character of the mode, measured as the ratio of mode average square values of electromagnetic potential to electrostatic potential, is found to increase with increasing values of the plasma β. The mixing length estimate for flux shows that the maximum contribution still comes from the long wavelengths modes. The magnitude of the flux decreases with increasing β.