Zonal Flows and Geodesic Acoustic Mode Oscillations in Tokamaks and Helical Systems

This paper reviews the theoretical foundations of zonal flow, putting emphasis on the linear response function of plasma to the external flow drive. An extension of the theory is made in order to apply it to helical systems and to study the properties of the zonal flow in the low frequency range. Further refinement of the theory is made incorporating the orbital effects of particles more precisely, and the role of neoclassical polarization current is identified.