Vacuum calculations in azimuthally symmetric geometry

A robustly accurate and effective method is presented to solve Laplace’s equation in general azimuthally symmetric geometry for the magnetic scalar potential in the region surrounding a plasma discharge which may or may not contain external conductors. These conductors can be topologically toroidal or spherical, and may have toroidal gaps in them. The solution is incorporated into the various magnetohydrodynamic stability codes either through the volume integrated perturbed magnetic energy in the vacuum region or through the continuity requirements for the normal component of the perturbed magnetic field and the total perturbed pressure across the unperturbed plasma–vacuum boundary. The method is based upon using Green’s second identity and the method of collocation. As useful by-products, the eddy currents and the simulation of Mirnov loop measurements are calculated.