UCSD FUSION/PLASMA THEORY GROUP

The Plasma Theory group at the Physics Department and the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences of the University of California, San Diego is led by Professor Patrick H. Diamond and Professor Marshall N. Rosenbluth and consists of two research scientists, two postdoctoral scholars, six graduate student researchers and managed by an administrative assistant.

We are working primarily on the theory of fusion plasma including:

Our work is primarily funded by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Our Group:

Patrick H. Diamond, Professor of Physics, Distinguished Professor
  • Marshall N. Rosenbluth, Research Professor-Deceased 09/28/2003
    Mikhail A. Malkov, Research Scientist
    Fred L. Hinton, Research Scientist
    Christopher Holland, Postdoctoral Scholar
    Christopher J. McDevitt, Postdoctoral Scholar
    Kazuhiro Miki, Postdoctoral Scholar
    Shane Keating, Graduate Student Researcher
    Stanley Z. Chan, Graduate Student Researcher
    Yusuke Kosuga, Graduate Student Researcher
    Lei Zhao, Graduate Student Researcher
    Zhan-hui Wang, Graduate Student Researcher (Visiting)
    Stephanie Conover, Administrative Assistant

    SELECTED PREPRINTS/PUBLICATIONS

    Secondary Instability in Drift Wave Turbulence as a Mechanism for Avalanche Formation (preprint-pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, S. Champeaux, M.Malkov, A. Das, I. Gruzinov, M.N. Rosenbluth, C. Holland, B. Wecht, A. Smolyakov, F.L. Hinton, Z. Lin, T.S. Hahm
    Proceedings of the 18th International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) Fusion Energy Conference,Sorrento, Italy, 4-10 October 2000, IAEA, Vienna (2000), IAEA-CN-77/TH2/1
    Secondary Instability in Drift Wave Turbulence as a Mechanism for Zonal Flow and Avalanche Formation (preprint-pdf) or (preprint-ps)
    P.H. Diamond, S. Champeaux, M. Malkov, A. Das, I. Gruzinov, M.N. Rosenbluth, C. Holland, B. Wecht, A Smolyakov, F.L. Hinton, Z. Lin, T.S. Hahm
    Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 41, No. 8, 1067-1080 (2001)
    Fast Zonal Field Dynamo in Collisionless Kinetic Alfven Wave Turbulence (preprint-pdf) or (preprint-ps)
    I. Gruzinov and P.H. Diamond
    Physics Letters A, Vol. 302(no. 203), 119-124 (2002)

    The published article can be found at Elsevier Science Direct.
    On Turbulent Reconnection (preprint-pdf) or (preprint-ps)
    Eun-Jin Kim and P.H. Diamond
    The Astrophysical Journal 556(No. 2 Part 1), 1052-1065 (2001)

    The published article may be found at The Astrophysical Journal    .
    Self Organization of Zonal Flows: Some Physics Behind the Color Viewgraphs (preprint-pdf) or (preprint-ps)
    S. Champeaux, P.H. Diamond and M. Malkov
    Journal of Plasma and Fusion Research 4, 161-166 (2002)
    Towards a Self-Consistent Theory of Turbulent Reconnection (preprint-ps) or (preprint-pdf) Figure 1 (ps)
    Eun-jin Kim and P.H. Diamond
    Physics Letters A 291(no. 6), 407-412 (2001)

    The published article can be found at Elsevier Science Direct.
    Eddy Viscosity and Laminarization of Sheared Flow in 3D Reduced Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence (preprint-ps) or (preprint-pdf)
    Eun-jin Kim, T.S. Hahm and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 8(8), 3576-3582 (2001)

    Copyright (2001) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 8, Issue 8) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Bifurcation and Scaling of Drift Wave Turbulence Intensity with Collisional Zonal Flow Damping (preprint-ps) or (preprint-pdf)
    M.A. Malkov and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 8(9), 3996-4009 (2001)

    Copyright (2001) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 8, Issue 9) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    On the Nature of Bursting in Transport and Turbulence in Drift Wave - Zonal Flow Systems (preprint-ps) or (preprint-pdf)
    M.A. Malkov, P.H. Diamond and M.N. Rosenbluth
    Physics of Plasmas 8(12), 5073-5076 (2001)

    Copyright (2001) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 8, Issue 12) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Theory of the Momentum Flux PDF for Drift Wave Turbulence(tex) or (ps) or (preprint-pdf) Figure 1 (ps) or (pdf) Figure 2 (ps) or (pdf)
    Eun-jin Kim and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 9(1), 71-77 (2002)

    Copyright (2002) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 9, Issue 1) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    On The Possible Reason for Nondetection of TeV Protons in Supernova Remnants (preprint-pdf) or (preprint-ps)
    M.A. Malkov, P.H. Diamond, and T.W. Jones
    The Astrophysical Journal 571 (No. 2, Part I), 856-865 (2002)

    The published article may be found at The Astrophysical Journal.
    Electromagnetic Secondary Instabilities in Electron Temperature Gradient Turbulence(preprint-pdf) Figure (pdf)
    C. Holland and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 9(9), 3857-3866 (2002)

    Copyright (2002) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 9, Issue 9) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Sandpiles with Bi-Stable Automata Rules:Towards a Minimal Model of Pedestal Formation and Structure(preprint-pdf)
    I. Gruzinov, P.H. Diamond and M.N. Rosenbluth
    Physical Review Letters 89(25), 255001-1-25001-4 (2002)

    The published article may be found at Physical Review Letters.
    Turbulent Diffusion of Magnetic Fields in Weakly Ionized Gas(preprint-pdf)
    Eun-jin Kim and P.H. Diamond
    The Astrophysical Journal Letters 578 (No. 2 Part 2), L113-L116 (2002)

    The published article may be found at The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
    Dynamics of Helicity Transport and Taylor Relaxation(pdf)
    P.H. Diamond and M. Malkov
    Physics of Plasmas 10(6), 2322-2329 (2003)

    Copyright (2003) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 10, Issue 6) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Hysteresis and Relaxation in Bi-stable Diffusive Sandpile(preprint-pdf)
    I. Gruzinov, P.H. Diamond and M.N. Rosenbluth
    Physics of Plasmas Letters 10(3), 569-572 (2003)

    Copyright (2003) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 10, Issue 3) and may be found ati Physics of Plasmas.
    Mean Shear Flows, Zonal Flows, and Generalized Kelvin Helmholtz Modes in Drift Wave Turbulence: A Minimal Model for L to H Transition(preprint-pdf)
    Eun-jin Kim and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 10(5), 1698-1704 (2003)

    Copyright (2003) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 10, Issue 5) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Analytic Theory of L-H Transport Bifurcatiion for a Simple Model of Coupled Particle and Heat Fluxes(preprint-pdf)
    M.A. Malkov and P.H. Diamond
    Effect of Mean Flow Shear on Cross Phase and Transport, Reconsidered(preprint-pdf)
    Eun-jin Kim and P.H. Diamond
    Physical Review Letters 91(7), 075001-1-075001-4 (2003)

    The published article may be found at Physical Review Letters.
    Zonal Flows and Transient Dynamics of the L-H Transition(preprint-pdf)
    Eun-jin Kim and P.H. Diamond
    Physical Review Letters 90(18), 185006-1-185006-4 (2003)

    The published article may be found at Physical Review Letters.
    Streamer Formation and Collapse in Electron Temperature Gradient Driven Turbulence(preprint-pdf)
    O.D. Gurcan and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 11(2), 52-583 (2004)

    Copyright (2004) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 11, Issue 2) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Self-Consistent Mean Field Electrodynamics in Two and Three Dimensions(preprint-pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, D.W. Hughes and Eun-jin Kim
    Fluid Dynamics and Dynamos in Astrophysics and Geophysics, Series Ed. A.M. Soward, C.A. Jones, D.W. Hughes and N.O. Weiss, Vol. 12, Taylor & Francis, CRC Press, 145-192 (2005)
    Magnetohydrodynamics(preprint-pdf)
    Paul H. Roberts and P.H. Diamond
    Encyclopedia of Energy Vol. 3, 705-732, Elsevier Inc. (2004)
    Nonperturbative Models of Intermittency in Drift Wave Turbulence: Towards a Probabilistic Theory of Anomalous(preprint-pdf)
    Eun-jin Kim, P.H. Diamond, M. Malkov, T.S. Hahm, K. Itoh, S.-I. Itoh, S. Champeaux, I. Gruzinov, O. Gurcan, C. Holland, M.N. Rosenbluth, A. Smolyakov
    Nuclear Fusion Vol. 43 No. 9, 961-968 (2003)
    A Simple Model of Interactions Between Electron Temperature Gradient and Drift-Wave Turbulence(preprint-pdf)
    C. Holland and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 11(3), 1043-1051 (2004)

    Copyright (2004) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 11, Issue 3) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Turbulence Spreading into the Linearly Stable Zone and Transport Scaling(pdf)
    T.S. Hahm, P.H. Diamond, Z. Lin, K. Itoh and S.-I. Itoh
    Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion 46, A323-A333 (2004)
    Random Shearing by Zonal Flows and Transport Reduction(preprint-pdf)
    E. Kim and P.H. Diamond.
    Physics of Plasmas 11(12), L77-L80 (2004)

    Copyright (2004) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 11, Issue 12) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Transport Reduction by Shear Flows in Dynamical Models(preprint-pdf)
    E. Kim and P.H. Diamond.
    Physics of Plasmas 11(10), 4554-4558 (2004)

    Copyright (2007) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 11, Issue 10) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Nonlinear Elongation of Two Dimensional Structures in Electron Temperature Gradient Driven Turbulence(preprint-pdf)
    O.D. Gurcan and P.H. Diamond.
    Physics of Plasmas 11(11), 4973-4982 (2004)

    Copyright (2007) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 11, Issue 11) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Zonal Flows in Plasma-A Review(pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, S.-I. Itoh, K. Itoh and T.S. Hahm
    Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion 47(5), R35-R161 (2005)

    The published article may be found at Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion.
    Dynamics of Turbulence Spreading in Magnetically Confined Plasmas(preprint-pdf)
    O.D. Gurcan, P.H. Diamond, T.S. Hahm, and Z. Lin
    Physics of Plasmas 12(3), 032303-1-032303-15 (2005)

    Copyright (2005) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 12, Issue 3) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Overview of Zonal Flow Physics(preprint-pdf) Presentation-"Physics of Zonal Flows" (presentation-pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, K. Itoh, S.-I. Itoh, T.S. Hahm
    Proceedings of the 20th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Vilamoura, Portugal, 1-6 November 2004, IAEA-CN-116/OV 2-1
    Multiscale Studies of ETG and Drift Wave Turbulence and Transport Bifurcation Dynamics(preprint-pdf)
    C. Holland, E. Kim, P.H. Diamond, O.D. Gurcan, M. Malkov, M.N. Rosenbluth, A. Smolyakov and A. Das
    Proceedings of the 20th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Vilamoura, Portugal, 1-6 November 2004, IAEA-CN-116/TH/P6-5
    Electron Thermal Transport in Tokamaks: ETG or TEM Turbulence?(preprint-pdf)
    Z. Lin, L. Chen, Y. Nishimura, H. Qu, T.S. Hahm, J.L.V. Lewandowski, G. Rewoldt, W.X. Wang, P.H. Diamond, C. Holland, F. Zonca, Y. Li
    Proceedings of the 20th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Vilamoura, Portugal, 1-6 November 2004, IAEA-CN/TH/8-4
    On the Gamma-Ray Spectra Radiated by Protons Accelerated in Supernova Remnant Shocks Near Molecular Clouds: The Case of Supernova Remnant RX J1713.7-3946(preprint-pdf)
    M.A. Malkov, P.H. Diamond and R.Z. Sagdeev
    The Astrophysical Journal Letters 624 (No. 1, Part 2), L37-L40 (2005)

    The published article may be found at The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
    On the Dynamics of Large-Scale Structures in Electron Temperature Gradient Turbulence(preprint-pdf)
    C. Holland and P.H. Diamond
    Physics Letters A 344(5), 369-382 (2005)

    The published article may be found at Elsevier Science Direct.
    Possible Global Magneto-Fluid Structure of the Solar Convection Zone(preprint-pdf)
    S.-I. Itoh, K. Itoh, P.H. Diamond and A. Yoshizawa
    The Astronomical Society of Japan 58 (No.3), 605-616 (2006)
    Nonlinear Shock Acceleration Beyond the Bohm Limit(preprint-pdf)
    M.A. Malkov and P.H. Diamond
    The Astrophysical Journal 642 (No. 1, Pt. 1), 244-259 (2006)

    The published article may be found at The Astrophysical Journal.
    Physics of Zonal Flows(preprint-pdf)
    K. Itoh, S.-I. Itoh, P.H. Diamond, T.S. Hahm, A. Fujisawa, G.R. Tynan, M. Yagi and Y. Nagashima
    Physics of Plasmas 13(5), 055502-1-055502-11 (2006)

    Copyright (2006) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 13, Issue 5) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    A Tutorial on Basic Concepts in MHD Turbulence and Turbulent Transport(preprint-pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, S.-I. Itoh, K. Itoh
    Festival de Theorie, Aix-en-Provence, July 2003. Submitted to Fluid Dynamics and Dynamos in Astrophysics for Publication (2005)
    Beta-Plane MHD Turbulence and Dissipation in the Solar Tachocline(preprint-pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, S.-I. Itoh, K. Itoh and L.J. Silvers
    The Solar Tachocline, eds. D. Hughes, R. Rosner, N.O. Weiss, Cambridge University Press, 213-240 (2007)
    Radial Transport of Fluctuation Energy in a Two-Field Model of Drift Wave Turbulence (preprint-pdf)
    O. D. Gurcan, P.H. Diamond and T.S. Hahm
    Physics of Plasmas 13, 052306-1-052306-18 (2006)

    Copyright (2006) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 13) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Multi-Scale Interaction of a Tearing Mode with Drift Wave Turbulence: A Minimal Self-Consistent Model(preprint-pdf)
    C.J. McDevitt and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 13(3), 032302 (2006)

    Copyright (2006) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 13, Issue 3) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Dynamics of Mesoscale Magnetic Field in Diffusive Shock Acceleration(preprint-pdf) P.H. Diamond and M.A. Malkov
    The Astrophysical Journal 654(No. 1, Part 1), 252-266 (2007)

    The published article may be found at The Astrophysical Journal.
    Nonlinear Triad Interactions and the Mechanism of Spreading in Drift-Wave Turbulence(preprint-pdf)
    O.D. Gurcan and P.H. Diamond
    Physical Review Letters 97(2), 024502-1-024502-4 (2006)

    The published may be found at Physical Review Letters.
    Geodesic Acoustic Eigenmodes(preprint-pdf)
    Kimitaka Itoh, Sanae-I. Itoh, Patrick H. Diamond, Akihide Fujisawa, Masatoshi Yagi, Tetsuo Watari, Yoshihiko Nagashima and Atushi Fukuyama
    Plasma and Fusion Research: Rapid Communications Vol. 1, 037, 2 pages (2006)
    Intrinsic Rotation and Electric Field Shear(preprint-pdf)
    O.D. Gurcan, P.H. Diamond, T.S. Hahm, and R. Singh
    Physics of Plasmas 14, 042306-1-042306-17 (2007)

    Copyright (2007) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 14) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Progress in Understanding Multi-Scale Dynamics of Drift Wave Turbulence(preprint-pdf)
    O.D. Gurcan, P.H. Diamond, C.J. McDevitt, and M.A. Malkov
    Conference Proceeding, 21st IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, Chengdu, China October 2006
    Nonlinear Gyrokinetic Theory of Toroidal Momentum Pinch(preprint-pdf)
    T.S. Hahm, P.H. Diamond, O.D. Gurcan and G. Rewoldt
    Physics of Plasmas 14, 072303 (2007)

    Copyright (2007) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 14) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Beta-Plane MHD Turbulence in the Solar Tachocline(preprint-pdf)
    S.M. Tobias, P.H. Diamond and D.W. Hughes
    In Press The Astrophysical Letters (2007)
    Low-q Resonances, Transport Barriers, and Secondary Electrostatic Convective Cells(preprint-pdf)
    C.J. McDevitt and P.H. Diamond
    Physics of Plasmas 14, 112306 (2007)

    Copyright (2007) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 14) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Turbulent Diffusion of Magnetic Fields in Two-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence with Stable Stratification(preprint-pdf)
    Shane R. Keating and P.H. Diamond
    Physical Review Letters 99, 224502-1-224502-4 (2007)

    The published article may be found in Physical Review Letters.
    Transport of Parallel Momentum by Collisionless Drift Wave Turbulence(preprint-pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, C.J. McDevitt, O.D. Gurcan, T.S. Hahm and V. Naulin
    Physics of Plasmas 15, 012303 (2008)

    Copyright (2008) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas (Vol. 15) and may be found at Physics of Plasmas.
    Analytic Theory of L-H Transition, Barrier Structure, and Hysteresis for a Simple Model of Coupled Particle and Heat Fluxes(preprint-pdf)
    M.A. Malkov and P.H. Diamond
    Submitted to Physics of Plasmas 2008

    Turbulent Equipartition and Homogenization of Plasma Angular Momentum
    O.D. Gurcan, P.H. Diamond and T.S. Hahm
    Physical Review Letters 100, 135001 (2008)

    The published article may be found in Physical Review Letters.
    Momentum Theorems and the Structure of Atmospheric Jets and Zonal Flows in Plasmas(preprint-pdf)
    P.H. Diamond, O.D. Gurcan, T.S. Hahm, K. Miki, Y. Kosuga and X. Garbet
    Accepted and in Press Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
    This web page was created by S. Conover.

    Last updated 07/08/08