Locking of multiple resonant mode structures in the reversed-field pinch

Locking of a rotating mode by applying a resonant magnetic perturbation having the same helicity has been observed on various devices. Experiments have been carried out on the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed-field pinch (RFP) [Dexter et al., Fusion Technol. 19, 131 (1991)] which show that an externally applied magnetic perturbation can cause locking of the dominant magnetic modes (poloidal mode number m=1, toroidal mode numbers n=5–10) when the perturbation is resonant with them. A perturbation which is not resonant (m=0 or 2) produces no such effect. Thus, resonant torques may lock a stochastic magnetic structure arising from several modes, as likely exists in the RFP, as well as a distinct island as exists in tokamaks, although the details of the interaction are likely to be different.