MHD equilibrium of a low-shear helical axis Heliotron

The HINT code is a three-dimensional MHD equilibrium calculation code which does not assume nested flux surfaces. This code has been applied to the study of helical system plasma and it has reproduced the phenomenon of magnetic islands in finite pressure equilibria. We modify the numerical scheme of HINT to make it more efficient. In particular, the calculation of the plasma pressure distribution is improved for the case of a low-shear stellarator like Heliotron J. Using the modified HINT code, we study the finite plasma pressure equilibria of Heliotron J plasmas. In the standard configuration of Heliotron J plasmas, the equilibrium with a peaked distribution of the plasma pressure has magnetic islands appearing at β ∼ 0.8%. When β ∼ 3%, the edge region of plasma is ergodized by the finite pressure effect and flux surfaces are broken. On the other hand, for a broad initial pressure distribution the island width is decreased, but the structure of magnetic field remains stochastic.