Linear stability properties of the ideal internal kink mode in toroidal geometry are calculated for equilibria in which the q(r) profile is very flat and q ≈ 1 in the core region of the plasma. Marginal stability criteria and growth rates are calculated analytically in the large aspect ratio limit and compared with numerical results from the FAR code. The theory is developed for m = n = 1 modes and for higher m (= n) modes. The temperature perturbation due to adiabatic expansion in the linear phase of the 1/1 mode is calculated and compared with experimental data, showing that the predictions from ideal MHD theory cannot account for the observed temperature increase on JET. Comparison with collisionless theory suggests that the observed temperature increase can be accounted for by compression of the trapped particles.
Stability of n = 1 internal modes in tokamaks