On radial geodesic forcing of zonal modes

Abstract: The elementary local and global influence of geodesic field line curvature on radial dispersion of zonal modes in magnetised plasmas is analysed with a primitive drift wave turbulence model. A net radial geodesic forcing of zonal flows and geodesic acoustic modes can not be expected in any closed toroidal magnetic confinement configuration, since the flux surface average of geodesic curvature identically vanishes. Radial motion of poloidally elongated zonal jets may occur in the presence of geodesic acoustic mode activity. Phenomenologically a radial propagation of zonal modes shows some characteristics of a classical analogon to second sound in quantum condensates.