Maintaining the closed magnetic-field-line topology of a field-reversed configuration with the addition of static transverse magnetic fields

The effects on magnetic-field-line structure of adding various static transverse magnetic fields to a Solov’ev-equilibrium field-reversed configuration are examined. It is shown that adding fields that are antisymmetric about the axial midplane maintains the closed field-line structure, while adding fields with planar or helical symmetry opens the field structure. Antisymmetric modes also introduce pronounced shear.