Stability of magnetohydrodynamic Dean Flow as applied to centrifugally confined plasmas

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.873636· OSTI ID:686533

Hassam, A B ^[1]

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1. Institute for Plasma Research, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)

Dean Flow is the azimuthal flow of fluid between static concentric cylinders. In a magnetized plasma, there may also be radial stratification of the pressure. The ideal magnetohydrodynamic stability of such a flow in the presence of a strong axial magnetic field and an added radial gravitational force is examined. It is shown that both the Kelvin{endash}Helmholtz instability and pressure-gradient-driven interchanges can be stabilized if the flow is driven by a unidirectional external force and if the plasma annulus is sufficiently thin (large aspect ratio). These results find application in schemes using centrifugal confinement of plasma for fusion. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 686533
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 6, Issue 10; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1999
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
PLASMA PRESSURE
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA FLUID EQUATIONS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
HELMHOLTZ INSTABILITY