A new method for computing normal modes in axisymmetric toroidal geometry using a scalar form of ideal MHD (Q1819634)

Analytic elimination of the two magnetic surface components of the displacement vector permits the normal ideal MHD equations to be reduced to a scalar form. A Galerkin procedure, similar to that used in the PEST codes, is implemented to determine the normal modes computationally. The method retains the efficient stability capabilities of the PEST 2 energy principle code, while allowing computation of the normal mode frequencies and eigenfunctions, if desired. The procedure is illustrated by comparison with earlier versions of PEST and by application to tilting modes in spheromaks, and to stable discrete Alfvén waves in tokamak geometry.