Multi-scale geometrical Lagrangian statistics of heavy impurities in drift wave turbulence

Abstract We investigate the behavior of heavy impurities in edge plasma turbulence by analyzing their trajectories using the Hasegawa–Wakatani model. Through direct numerical simulations, we track ensembles of charged impurity particles over hundreds of eddy turnover times within statistically steady turbulent flows. Assuming that heavy impurities lag behind the flow, a novel derivation of relaxation time of heavy impurities is proposed. Our results reveal that heavy impurities can cluster within turbulence. We provide multiscale geometrical Lagrangian statistics of heavy impurities trajectories. To quantify directional changes, we analyze the scale-dependent curvature angle, along with the influence of the Stokes number on the mean curvature angles and the probability distribution function of curvature angles.