High-m kink/tearing modes in cylindrical geometry

The global ideal kink equation, for cylindrical geometry and zero beta, is simplified in the high poloidal mode number limit and used to determine the tearing stability parameter, Δ'. In the presence of a steep monotonic current gradient, Δ' becomes a function of a parameter, σ0, characterising the ratio of the maximum current gradient to magnetic shear and xs, characterising the separation of the resonant surface from the maximum of the current gradient. In equilibria containing a current 'spike', so that there is a non-monotonic current profile, Δ' also depends on two parameters: κ, related to the ratio of the curvature of the current density at its maximum to the magnetic shear and xs, which now represents the separation of the resonance from the point of maximum current density. The relation of our results to earlier studies of tearing modes and to recent gyrokinetic calculations of current driven instabilities, is discussed, together with potential implications for the stability of the tokamak pedestal.