Mean sheared flow and parallel ion motion effects on zonal flow generation in ion-temperature-gradient mode turbulence

The present work investigates the direct interaction of sheared mean flow with zonal flows (ZFs) and the effect of parallel ion motion on ZF generation in ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) background turbulence. An analytical model for the direct interaction of sheared mean flows with zonal flows is constructed. The model used for the toroidal ITG driven mode is based on the equations for ion continuity, ion temperature and parallel ion motion, whereas the ZF evolution is described by the vorticity equation. The behavior of the ZF growth rate and real frequency is examined for typical tokamak parameters. It is shown that in general the zonal flow growth rate is suppressed by the presence of a sheared mean flow. In addition, with parallel ion motion effects the ZFs become more oscillatory for increasing eta(i)(=L-n/L-Ti) value. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.