Hybrid-gyrokinetic simulations of low-n toroidal Alfven eigenmodes using gKPSP

We report a benchmark study of toroidal Alfven eigenmode (TAE) simulation using the hybrid-gyrokinetic code GyroKinetic Plasma Simulation Program (gKPSP). A simulation capability for energetic particles based on the gyrokinetic delta f method has been newly implemented in the gKPSP code. Benchmark simulations have been performed in both circular and realistic tokamak geometries. Good agreement has been found with previously reported results, demonstrating the new capability of the gKPSP code. We have investigated the effects of the distribution function on TAE stability by examining both isotropic and anisotropic slowing-down distributions of energetic particles. The slowing-down distribution produces a higher linear growth rate than a Maxwellian distribution, while a growth rate scan with the anisotropy shows an opposite trend. This can be attributed to competition between Landau damping and the linear drive, which are correlated with the fraction of resonant passing particles and their distribution in phase space. Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.