Gyrokinetic particle-in-cell simulations of Alfvén eigenmodes in presence of continuum effects

First-principle gyrokinetic particle-in-cell simulations of a global Toroidal Alfvén Eigenmode (TAE) are undertaken in the presence of a strong coupling with the continuum. Effects of the bulk plasma temperature on the interplay between the TAE and Kinetic Alfvén Waves (KAWs) are investigated. A global TAE-KAW structure is identified which appears to be more unstable with respect to the fast ions than a simple (fluid-like) TAE mode.