Current drive by electron cyclotron waves and tearing-mode configurations

The use of EC waves to control temperature and current profiles may affect the background MHD configuration. In particular the RF current drive can create a ‘tearing-mode’ configuration, depending essentially on the optical properties of the plasma, on the power level of the injected waves and on their angle of incidence. Numerical and analytical estimates are presented of various effects to be expected in the RF heating process, consistently with transport phenomena.