TRANSPORT MECHANISMS ACTING IN TOROIDAL DEVICES - A THEORETICIANS VIEW

Understanding the basic mechanisms of transport in toroidal confinement devices remains one of the more challenging scientific issues in magnetic confinement. At the same time, it is a critical issue for the magnetic fusion program. Recent progress in understanding fluctuations and transport has been fostered by the development and use of new diagnostics, bringing new perspectives on these studies. This has stimulated new theoretical developments. In this paper, a view of the most recent issues and progress in this area is given. The role of long wavelengths in core transport and the relation between shear flows and turbulence at the plasma edge are the primary topics considered in this paper.