Neste trabalho apresentamos o estudo da possivilidade de melhores regimes para o uso dos experimentos de aquecimento e geracao de corrente e fluxo de plasma no tokamak TCABR. Apresentamos um estudo dos efeitos de rotacao de plasma em baixa frequencia (low-frequency (LF)), penetração de campo eletromagnético, absorção e forças ponderomotoras no “Tokamak Chauffage Alfvén Brésilien" (TCABR) com ênfase na faixa de frequências de 0, 5–10, 0kHz. Os campos de LF são dirigidos pelo limitador magnético ergódico (ergodic magnetic limiter (EML)) no TCABR. Foi feito um estudo analítico das ondas de Alfvén e ressonância usando modelos simples. Um estudo num´erico tembém foi realizado utilizando três códigos, quais sejam, o código cinético toroidal, o código cilíndrico e o código ALTOK. / In this work we present the study of the determination the best regimes and parameters¶for the heating experiments and current generation and plasma flow in the tokamak TCABR. Study of effects of plasma rotation in low frequency (LF), field penetration, absorption and ponderomotive forces in “Tokamak Chauffage Alfvén Brésilien" (TCABR)is investigated with emphasis in the frequency range of 0, 5–10, 0kHz. The fields of LF are driven by the ergodic magnetic limiter (EML) in TCABR. A qualitative analytical study of the Alfvén waves and their resonances is performed using simple models. A numeric study was carried out using through three codes, called the kinetic totoidal code, the cylindrical code and the ALTOK code.

Descreve-se neste trabalho um estudo experimental da Emissão Eletrociclotrônica (EEC) no tokamak TCABR. Um radiômetro de EEC foi instalado, calibrado e utilizado para o estudo do plasma em descargas térmicas. O radiômetro é do tipo heteródino de varredura operando na faixa de 50-85 GHz, no modo extraordinário e na segunda harmônica. Determinou-se a temperatura de ruído do radiômetro e também sua estabilidade em amplitude e freqüência. Foi medida a largura de banda em freqüência do radiômetro (resolução espacial horizontal). A antena utilizada é do tipo gaussiana sendo que o raio da cintura do feixe gaussiano e a posição do foco foram experimentalmente determinados (W0 ~ 1 cm e d ~ 37 cm, respectivamente). A posição da cintura da antena foi posicionada próxima do centro geométrico do vaso. Foi feita a calibração absoluta do equipamento considerando-se os efeitos das janelas de diagnóstico (reflexão e absorção). O sistema pode operar em modo varredura, para a obtenção de perfis radiais de Te ou modo freqüência única onde se tem alta resolução temporal. As medidas da radiação EC foram feitas, na sua maioria, em descargas com densidade eletrônica média entre 1.10+19 m-3 e 1,5.1019 m-3 de forma a se ter acessibilidade da radiação EC e também minimizar-se a presença de elétrons fugitivos. Para ne > 1,5.1019 m-3 (com B0 = 1,14 T) verifica-se o corte parcial da radiação EC. Nesta condição, o corte na EEC foi utilizado na determinação do perfil radial da densidade eletrônica e aplicado em três diferentes situações: descargas com injeção adicional de gás, com a aplicação do eletrodo de polarização e em descargas com injeção de ondas de radiofreqüência na região das ondas de Alfvén para o TCABR. Usando um perfil parabólico típico para a densidade eletrônica, observou-se que, para descargas com injeção adicional de gás ou em descargas com a aplicação de ondas de radiofreqüência tem-se 0,85 < alfa < 1, e para descargas com aplicação do eletrodo de polarização obteve-se alfa ~ 0,6. Foram feitas observações simultâneas da temperatura eletrônica, a partir do sinal da EEC, e das oscilações de Mirnov (freqüência ~ 11,7 kHz) em descargas térmicas com q(r=0) > 1. Os resultados indicam a presença de um modo de ruptura dominante em rs ~ 9,5 cm com a largura da ilha magnética de W ~ 2,0-2,5 cm. Estes resultados experimentais obtidos estão em acordo com os resultados indicados por teorias de transporte na região das ilhas magnéticas. Observou-se também que a localização da ilha magnética coincide com uma região onde o perfil radial da temperatura de plasma é aproximadamente plano. Num outro cenário, com q(r=0) < 1, observaram-se oscilações dente de serra com período de ~ 0,44 ms, tempo de queda de ~ 0,12 ms, e raio de inversão em r ~ 4 cm. Neste tipo de descargas observou-se que, no perfil radial da amplitude das oscilações da Te, |DeltaTe|, devido à propagação dos pulsos dente de serra, apresentavam posições de mínimos e que estes coincidiam com as posições onde ocorrem patamares no perfil radial da temperatura eletrônica. Partindo destes resultados, juntamente com o perfil de q(r), dão-nos os modos racionais (m/n), posições (r) e larguras(W) para as ilhas magnéticas, presentes nestas descargas, a saber: m/n = 4/3 (r ~ 9 cm, W4/3 ~ 0,9 cm), m/n = 3/2 (r ~ 11,8 cm, W3/2 ~ 0,9 cm) e m/n = 2/1 (r ~ 13,7 cm, W2/1 ~ 1,4 cm). Este novo método, aqui proposto, permite a determinação direta da posição e da largura das ilhas magnéticas, em descargas onde a instabilidade dente de serra encontra-se presente.¶ / In this work, an experimental study of the Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) in the TCABR Tokamak, is described. An ECE sweeping heterodyne radiometer, operating in the 50-85 GHz frequency range, was installed, calibrated and used to detect ECE radiation in the second harmonic extraordinary mode from thermal plasma discharges. The noise temperature, amplitude and frequency stability of the radiometer were determined. The frequency bandwidth (horizontal space resolution) was measured. A Gaussian Antenna is used and the gaussian beam waist radius (W0 ~ 1 cm) and the focus position (d ~ 37 cm) were experimentally determined. The focus of the antenna was positioned close to the center of the vacuum vessel. The absolute calibration of the equipment was done and the effect of the diagnostic window was considered (reflections and absorptions). The system can operate in sweeping mode, in order to obtain the radial electron temperature profiles, and also in the single frequency mode to obtain temporal electron temperature profiles with high time resolution. Due to the TCABR accessibility conditions and also to avoid runaway electrons, most of the ECE measurements were obtained in discharges with line electron density between 1.0x10+19 m-3 and 1.5x1019 m-3. For ne > 1.5x1019 m-3 (with B0 = 1.14 T) the cutoff in the ECE radiation was observed. The ECE cutoff was used to determine the radial profile of the electron density and applied to three different situations: discharges with additional gas puffing, with the application of a biasing electrode and in discharges with radio-frequency wave injection. Using a parabolic profile it was observed that, 0.85 < alfa < 1.0 for discharges with additional gas injection or with RF injection, and alfa ~ 0.6 for the electrode biasing experiments. The electron temperature profiles and Mirnov oscillations (f ~ 11.7 kHz) were simultaneously measured in discharges with q (r=0) > 1. The position and the width of the magnetic island were therefore calculated. The results indicate the presence of a dominant tearing mode in rs ~ 9.5 cm and the magnetic island width W ~ 2.0-2.5 cm. These experimental results are in agreement with the theoretical results foreseen by models of heat transport in the presence of magnetic islands. It was also observed that, the position of the magnetic island coincided with the region where the temperature radial profile is approximately flat. In another plasma scenario, with q(r=0) < 1, sawteeth oscillations with a period ~ 0.44 ms, crash time ~ 0.12 ms, inversion radius r ~ 4 cm, were measured. Peculiarities in the Te radial profile associated with the amplitude of Te oscillations, |DeltaTe|, due to the sawtooth instability, were observed. It was verified that the minimum values of the |DeltaTe| profile coincided with the region where the temperature radial profile was approximately flat. These results together with the q(r) profile yielded the following mode numbers (m/n), positions (r) and widths (W) of the magnetic islands: m/n = 4/3 (r ~ 9 cm, W4/3 ~ 0.9 cm), m/n = 3/2 (r ~ 11.8 cm, W3/2 ~ 0.9 cm) and m/n = 2/1 (r ~ 13.7 cm, W2/1; ~ 1.4 cm). A novel method to determine the position and width of the magnetic islands, in discharges with the presence of sawtooth instability, is presented here.

Obtivemos mapas de Poincaré das linhas de força do campo magnético resultante da superposição linear do campo magnético de um plasma toroidal em equilíbrio com o campo magnético de correntes helicoidais externas. Devido a falta de simetria do campo magnético não podemos definir uma expressão analítica que descreva os mapas; estes foram, então, obtidos pela integração numérica da equação das linhas de força dVET.lxVET.B = 0. Nos mapas de Poincaré aparecem as ilhas magnéticas principais e as ilhas magnéticas secundárias. As ilhas magnéticas secundárias surgem devido a geometria toroidal. Sobre uma mesma superfície ressonante, as ilhas não tem tamanhos iguais. / Poincaré maps of magnetic field lines of a toroidal helical system were made. The magnetic field is a linear superposition of the magnetic fields produced by a toroidal plasma in equilibrium and by external helical currents. We do not have an analytical expression for the Poincaré maps since the magnetic field do not have symmetry. In order to obtain the maps, the equation dl x B = O is numerically integrated. In the Poincaré maps, the principal and the secondary magnetic islands were observed. The islands do not have equal widths in the same resonant surface.

Apesar dos avanços na última metade de século na teoria de transporte em Física de Plasmas, muitos de seus aspectos ainda são pouco compreendidos. Grande parte dessa limitação se deve à carência de modelos de primeiros princípios minimamente capazes de reproduzir os resultados experimentais. De fato, sem o embasamento em hipóteses fundamentais, os modelos devem se restringir à descrição do comportamento observado nos diferentes regimes de transporte no plasma, sem necessariamente especificar por que ou quais são os mecanismos envolvidos; até mesmo a identificação dos elementos envolvidos no transporte, por exemplo, se partículas ou células convectivas, é prejudicada. Uma abordagem que vem ganhando destaque na comunidade de Física de Plasmas ao longo dos anos é a estatística não-extensiva. Em particular, o interesse na teoria de Tsallis está na sua capacidade de descrever sistemas distantes do equilíbrio termodinâmico, uma característica comum à maioria dos plasmas de laboratório e astrofísicos. De fato, nessas circunstâncias, é sabido que as funções de distribuição das partículas são distantes das distribuições Maxwellianas, com longas-caudas, especialmente para os elétrons. A capacidade da teoria de Tsallis em descrever fenômenos da Física de Plasmas é retratada nas suas diversas aplicações encontradas na literatura, por exemplo, o transporte anômalo, oscilações eletrostáticas, ventos solares, plasmas empoeirados, onde é sabido que as previsões dadas pela estatística de Maxwell-Boltzmann não são capazes de descrever corretamente os resultados experimentais. A proposta desta tese de doutoramento é utilizar a estatística não-extensiva para determinar o transporte colisional em plasmas intensamente magnetizados. O desenvolvimento completo do modelo de transporte no contexto não-extensivo é estabelecido rigorosamente: partindo da definição da entropia de Tsallis e da hipótese das interações fracas (a condição do transporte colisional), somos capazes de deduzir as equações de fluidos utilizando apenas métodos estatísticos genéricos, e sem hipóteses adicionais. Nesse percurso, apresentamos, sempre de maneira consistente com a estatística não-extensiva, a definição da temperatura; a dedução da equação cinética com o operador colisional para plasmas; a generalização do método utilizado por Braginskii para determinar as soluções aproximadas da equação cinética; e o cálculo dos coeficientes de transporte. Porém, também apresentamos a aplicação de nosso modelo no transporte de calor em ventos solares e no pulso frio em plasmas de laboratório. / Despite the advances in the last half century in the plasma transport theory, many aspects of such phenomena remain poorly understood. Most of this limitation is due to the lack o first principles models capable of reproducing experimental observations. In fact, without a fundamental hypothesis, the models are restricted to describing the behavior of the observed plasma transport in diferent regimes, without specifying why or which mechanisms take part in the process; even the determination of the elements involved in the transport, for instance, whether particles or convective cells, is impaired. One approach that has been attracting attention in Plasma Physics community over the years is the non-extensive statistics. In particular, the interest in the Tsallis\'s theory lies in its ability to describe systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium, a common feature in most laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. The capability of the non-extensive statistics in describing phenomena of Plasma Physics is portrayed in various applications, for example, the anomalous transport, electrostatic oscillations, solar winds, dusty plasmas, where it is know that the predictions given by Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics cannot describe the experimental results. Indeed, under such cases, it is well known that the particle distribution functions are quite distant from Maxwellian distributions, with long tails, especially for electrons. The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to use the non-extensive statistics in order to obtain a model for the collisional transport in strongly magnetized plasmas. The complete development of the model in the non-extensive context is strictly established; starting with the definition of the Tsallis entropy and the weak interactions hypothesis (the collisional transport condition), we are able to derive the fluid equations using only generic statistical methods, without additional hypotheses. For such task, we present, consistently with non-extensive statistics, the definition of temperature; the deduction of the kinetic equation with the collision operator for plasmas, which are also appropriated for the determination of the fluid equations; the generalization of the method used by Braginskii to approximate the solution of the kinetic equation for electrons; and the calculation of electron transport coeficients. Lastly, we present the application of our model in the heat transport in the solar winds and in the phenomena of the cold pulse in laboratory plasmas.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T19:25:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ricardo Oyarzabal.pdf: 9526420 bytes, checksum: efaea71ba33c01d1cc5ff4456b4f0665 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-21 / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo / We investigated chaotic transport of particles in a magnetized plasma with two waves of electrostatic drift. Considering the dissipation, we verify the appearance of periodic attractors and show that the properties of the basin depend on the dissipation. The average escape time of the initial conditions of an established frontier obeys a power law decay type with increasing of the dissipation. We find positive finite time Lyapunov exponents in dissipative drift motion, consequently the trajectories exhibit transient chaotic transport. The increase in noise dissipative drift motion enhances escape peaks in the average time for a given critical value of the noise intensity. The optimization of a system feature is the situation that occurs stochastic resonance (SR). It is observed that the noise changes the distribution in the escape time. This work is important to improve the understanding of the drift wave model in the presence of dissipation and noise, a natural ingredient in the environment of this kind of physical problem. / Neste estudo investigamos o transporte caótico de partículas em um plasma magnetizado com duas ondas de deriva eletrostáticas. Considerando a dissipação, verificamos o surgimento de atratores periódicos e mostramos que as propriedades das bacias dependem da dissipação. O tempo de escape médio das condições iniciais, em uma fronteira estabelecida, obedece um decaimento do tipo lei de potência com o aumento da dissipação. Encontramos também expoentes de Lyapunov a tempo finito positivos, consequentemente, as trajetórias apresentam transiente caótico. Com o acréscimo de ruído no movimento de deriva dissipativo, notamos um aumento nos picos relativos ao tempo de escape médio. Estes valores máximos ocorrem para determinado valor crítico da intensidade do ruído A otimização de uma característica do sistema é a situação em que ocorre a ressonância estocàstica (RE). Observa-se que o ruído altera a distribuição no tempo de escape. Este trabalho é relevante no sentido de melhorar a compreensão do modelo de ondas de deriva na presença de dissipação e ruído.

O Texas Helimak é uma máquina toroidal de confinamento de plasma cujas linhas de campo magnético têm forma helicoidal e no qual parâmetros do plasma (como a densidade e a temperatura) são similares aos da borda e da região externa (scrape-off-layer) de um tokamak. Nesta tese foram analisados o equilíbrio e as flutuações do plasma no Texas Helimak. São apresentadas a análise e a interpretação do controle da turbulência eletrostática e do transporte turbulento de partículas pelo potencial elétrico, bias, aplicado externamente. As alterações na turbulência e no transporte causadas pela mudança do potencial elétrico externo foram investigadas em uma região do plasma com gradientes radiais uniformes. As flutuações em descargas com bias positivo ou nulo apresentam espectros de potência de banda larga e uma PDF com uma cauda acentuada que revela a ocorrência intermitente de eventos extremos. Por outro lado, as flutuações em descargas com bias negativo possuem um espectro de potência mais estreito, uma PDF mais Gaussiana e um diagrama de recorrência com mais estruturas. Um modelo de quatro ondas acopladas foi utilizado para relacionar a largura de banda da turbulência com o tempo de interação entre as ondas do modelo. Perfis radiais do transporte turbulento de partículas na direção radial foram calculados, como função do bias, e comparados com os perfis da velocidade do fluxo de plasma e seu cisalhamento. Foi mostrado que o transporte depende do perfil radial da velocidade de fluxo do plasma. Nas descargas em que essa velocidade apresenta um ponto de máximo em seu perfil radial, o perfil do transporte possui um mínimo que foi interpretado, utilizando um modelo Hamiltoniano de ondas de deriva, como sendo resultado de uma barreira de transporte onde o cisalhamento do fluxo é nulo. Em outras descargas, máximos no perfil radial do transporte foram relacionados a ressonâncias que ocorrem onde a velocidade de fase da onda é igual à velocidade do plasma. / The Texas Helimak is a toroidal confinement of plasma device with helically magnetic field lines and which plasma parameters (like the density and temperature) are similar to the edge and the scrape-off-layer of a tokamak. This thesis analyzed the equilibrium and fluctuations in the Helimak Texas plasma. We present the analysis and interpretation of electrostatic control of turbulence and turbulent particle transport by electrical potential, bias, applied externally. Changes in transport and turbulence caused by the change of external electric potential were investigated in a region of uniform radial gradients plasma. Fluctuations in discharges with positive or zero bias have broadband power spectra and a PDF with an accentuated tail that reveals the intermittent occurrence of extreme events. Moreover, fluctuations in discharges with negative bias have narrow power spectra, a more Gaussian PDF and more structures in the recurrence diagram. A four coupled wave model was used to relate the bandwidth of turbulence with the interaction time between the waves in the model. Radial profiles of turbulent transport of particles in the radial direction were calculated as a function of bias and compared to the profiles of the plasma flow velocity and its shear. It was shown that the transport depends on the radial profile of the plasma flow velocity. In that discharges where the velocity radial profile presents a point of maximum, the transport profile has a minimum which was interpreted, using a drift wave model Hamiltonian, as a result of a shearless flow transport barrier. In other discharges, the maxima in the transport radial profiles were related with resonances that occur where the wave phase velocity is equal to the plasma velocity.

Les satellites en orbite terrestre se déplacent dans le plasma ionosphérique, un mélange de particules chargées, et éventuellement de particules neutres. Des électrons et des ions issus de ce plasma, ainsi que les émissions Ultra-Violets(UV) en provenance du soleil, interagissent avec les surfaces du satellite et modifient sa charge électrostatique. Cette chargement peut induire elle-même des décharges électrostatiques aux conséquences allant de perturbations électromagnétiques (fausses commandes par exemple) à la perte du satellite. En orbites de basse altitude (LEO) l'énergie cinétique et thermique du plasma est généralement faible et donc, les satellites vont rarement présenter des décharges importantes. Néanmoins, les missions scientifiques qui embarquent des instruments très performants et précis peuvent être affectées par cette interaction satellite-plasma-émissions UV. Cette thèse s'intéresse particulièrement à ces phénomènes de charge des structures externes du satellite et à l'impact de ce chargement sur les mesures scientifiques effectuées à bord, i.e. mesures du champ électrique et de la densité du plasma thermique. / Earth-orbiting satellites travel in ionospheric plasma, a mixture of charged particles, and possibly neutral particles. Electrons and ions from this plasma, as well as Ultra-Violet (UV) emissions from the sun, interact with the surfaces of the satellite and modify its electrostatic charge. This loading can itself induce electrostatic discharges to the consequences ranging from electromagnetic disturbances (false commands for example) to the loss of the satellite. In low-Earth orbits (LEO), the kinetic and thermal energy of the plasma is generally low and therefore satellites rarely exhibit large discharges. Nevertheless, scientific missions that carry high-performance and accurate instruments can be affected by this satellite-plasma-UV-emissions interaction. This thesis is particularly interested in these phenomena of charge of the external structures of the satellite and the impact of this load on the scientific measurements carried out on board, i.e. measures of the electric field and the density of the thermal plasma.

In this thesis, the effects of simple shear flow on macromolecular structure and interactions are investigated in detail via a combination of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and rheology, namely Rheo-NMR. A specially designed NMR couette shear cell and benchtop shear cell, developed in-house, demonstrated that the direct measurement of the above phenomena is possible. First, to determine whether the shear cells were creating simple shear flow, results were reproduced from literature studies of liquid crystal systems which report shear effects on: Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) in deuterium oxide, and Poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) in m-cresol. Next, the possible conformational changes to protein structure brought about by shear were investigated by applying shear to Bovine -lactogobulin ( -Lg). As the protein was sheared, a small, irreversible conformational change was observed by means of one-dimensional and two-dimensional 1H NMR with reasonable reproducibility. However, no observable change was detected by means of light scattering. A large conformational change was observed after shearing a destabilized -Lg sample containing 10% Trifluoroethanol (TFE) (v/v). From an NMR point of view, the sheared state was similar to the structure of -Lg containing large amounts of -helices and, interestingly, similar to the structure of -Lg containing -sheet amyloid fibrils. Gel electrophoresis tests suggested that the changes were caused by hydrophobic interactions. Unfortunately, this proved to be difficult to reproduce. The effect of shear on an inter-macromolecular interaction was investigated by applying shear during an enzyme reaction of pectin methylesterase (PME) on pectin. Experimental method and analysis developments are described in detail. It was observed that under the conditions studied, shear does not interfere with the de-esterification of pectin with two types of PME, which have different action mechanisms at average shear rates up to 1570 s-1.

In this thesis, the effects of simple shear flow on macromolecular structure and interactions are investigated in detail via a combination of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and rheology, namely Rheo-NMR. A specially designed NMR couette shear cell and benchtop shear cell, developed in-house, demonstrated that the direct measurement of the above phenomena is possible. First, to determine whether the shear cells were creating simple shear flow, results were reproduced from literature studies of liquid crystal systems which report shear effects on: Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) in deuterium oxide, and Poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) in m-cresol. Next, the possible conformational changes to protein structure brought about by shear were investigated by applying shear to Bovine -lactogobulin ( -Lg). As the protein was sheared, a small, irreversible conformational change was observed by means of one-dimensional and two-dimensional 1H NMR with reasonable reproducibility. However, no observable change was detected by means of light scattering. A large conformational change was observed after shearing a destabilized -Lg sample containing 10% Trifluoroethanol (TFE) (v/v). From an NMR point of view, the sheared state was similar to the structure of -Lg containing large amounts of -helices and, interestingly, similar to the structure of -Lg containing -sheet amyloid fibrils. Gel electrophoresis tests suggested that the changes were caused by hydrophobic interactions. Unfortunately, this proved to be difficult to reproduce. The effect of shear on an inter-macromolecular interaction was investigated by applying shear during an enzyme reaction of pectin methylesterase (PME) on pectin. Experimental method and analysis developments are described in detail. It was observed that under the conditions studied, shear does not interfere with the de-esterification of pectin with two types of PME, which have different action mechanisms at average shear rates up to 1570 s-1.

In this thesis, the effects of simple shear flow on macromolecular structure and interactions are investigated in detail via a combination of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and rheology, namely Rheo-NMR. A specially designed NMR couette shear cell and benchtop shear cell, developed in-house, demonstrated that the direct measurement of the above phenomena is possible. First, to determine whether the shear cells were creating simple shear flow, results were reproduced from literature studies of liquid crystal systems which report shear effects on: Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) in deuterium oxide, and Poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) in m-cresol. Next, the possible conformational changes to protein structure brought about by shear were investigated by applying shear to Bovine -lactogobulin ( -Lg). As the protein was sheared, a small, irreversible conformational change was observed by means of one-dimensional and two-dimensional 1H NMR with reasonable reproducibility. However, no observable change was detected by means of light scattering. A large conformational change was observed after shearing a destabilized -Lg sample containing 10% Trifluoroethanol (TFE) (v/v). From an NMR point of view, the sheared state was similar to the structure of -Lg containing large amounts of -helices and, interestingly, similar to the structure of -Lg containing -sheet amyloid fibrils. Gel electrophoresis tests suggested that the changes were caused by hydrophobic interactions. Unfortunately, this proved to be difficult to reproduce. The effect of shear on an inter-macromolecular interaction was investigated by applying shear during an enzyme reaction of pectin methylesterase (PME) on pectin. Experimental method and analysis developments are described in detail. It was observed that under the conditions studied, shear does not interfere with the de-esterification of pectin with two types of PME, which have different action mechanisms at average shear rates up to 1570 s-1.