Simulation study on sloshing ion formation and sustainment of associated potential dip in a plug cell of GAMMA 6

A Monte Carlo simulation on sloshing ion formation and the associated potential dip is described. It is shown in the GAMMA 6 tandem mirror machine that the sloshing ion distribution can be sustained for about 500 µs. The warm passing ions have a density depression in the region of the sloshing-ion density dip because of the acceleration due to the potential. This effect is included in the evaluation of the potential dip self-consistently. The potential dip is sustained for the duration of sloshing ion formation because the trapped cold ions obtain energy from the passing ions and escape from the potential dip.