Abstract and subjects
The evolution of plasma parameters over confinement timescales is a key consideration for any confinement concept, especially the relatively short-lived Field Reversed Configuration (FRC). While it is challenging to model dynamic systems far from equilibrium, it is often possible to model the evolution and decay of FRCs through a progression of quasi-equilibrium states using simple analytic and phenomenological models. This approach can elucidate historically observed trends in decaying FRCs and be used to predict plasma parameters throughout slowly-varying dynamic processes, such as adiabatic expansion/compression. Limitations of this method are also discussed and several example cases are presented.