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Doppler tomography in fusion plasmas and astrophysics

Author
Abstract

Doppler tomography is a well-known method in astrophysics to image the accretion flow, often in the shape of thin discs, in compact binary stars. As accretion discs rotate, all emitted line radiation is Doppler-shifted. In fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) spectroscopy measurements in magnetically confined plasma, the D-alpha-photons are likewise Doppler-shifted ultimately due to gyration of the fast ions. In either case, spectra of Doppler-shifted line emission are sensitive to the velocity distribution of the emitters. Astrophysical Doppler tomography has lead to images of accretion discs of binaries revealing bright spots, spiral structures and flow patterns. Fusion plasma Doppler tomography has led to an image of the fast-ion velocity distribution function in the tokamak ASDEX Upgrade. This image matched numerical simulations very well. Here we discuss achievements of the Doppler tomography approach, its promise and limits, analogies and differences in astrophysical and fusion plasma Doppler tomography and what can be learned by comparison of these applications.

Year of Publication
2015
Journal
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Volume
57
Issue
1
Number of Pages
014021
Date Published
JAN
DOI
10.1088/0741-3335/57/1/014021
PId
38c10f70990ab1c69b90b6c29b6a1213
Alternate Journal
Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion
Journal Article
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