TURBULENT STEADY-STATE CONFIGURATION OF AN INDUCTIVELY DRIVEN REVERSED FIELD PINCH PLASMA

An inductively driven reversed field pinch plasma has a time-averaged steady-state magnetic configuration. The configuration, which is force-free, corresponds to a state of minimum rate of dissipation of magnetic energy for a prescribed rate of dissipation of magnetic helicity. The ratio of the two dissipation rates equals the ratio of the sustaining Poynting flux to magnetic helicity flux at the boundary. The turbulence arises because it is not possible to maintain a stationary Poynting flux. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}