The mixed WKB-full-wave approach and its application to lower hybrid wave propagation and absorption

Abstract

The mixed WKB-full-wave approach for calculating the 2D mode structure in tokamak plasmas is further developed based on our previous work [A. Cardinali et al., Phys. Plasmas 10, 4199 (2003) and Z. X. Lu et al., Phys. Plasmas, 19, 042104 (2012)]. A new scheme for theoretical analysis and numerical implementation of the mixed WKB-full-wave approach is formulated, based on scale separation and asymptotic analysis, to investigate lower hybrid wave (LHW) propagation and absorption. As a novel method, its comparison with other approaches is discussed. Its application to LHW propagation in concentric circular tokamak plasmas using typical FTU discharge parameters, is also demonstrated.