Excitation of Internal Kink Mode by Circulating Supra-thermal Electrons

The internal kink mode with a real frequency comparable with the bulk ion diamagnetic frequency is investigated in the case of lower hybrid wave injection. It is found that circulating supra-thermal electrons can directly destabilize the internal kink mode by resonance interaction in the neighborhood of the q = 1 rational surface. The pressure gradient of circulating supra-thermal electrons on the resonance surface is crucial for excitation of the mode.