Ideal magnetohydrodynamic interchanges in low density plasmas
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)
The ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations are usually derived under the assumption V{sub A}<<c, where V{sub A} is the Alfven speed and c is the speed of light. This system of equations is extended to low density plasmas wherein V{sub A} can be comparable to or greater than c. This involves relaxation of the usual charge quasineutrality assumption and the inclusion of electromagnetic momentum on par with plasma momentum. The extended system is applied to interchange instabilities in 'line-tied' slab geometry as well as to centrifugally confined plasmas. It is found that interchange growth rates are reduced by a factor of 1+V{sub A}{sup 2}/c{sup 2}, corresponding to a larger effective mass resulting from the extra electromagnetic momentum. Line tying is unaffected.
- OSTI ID:
- 20698364
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 12, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1855925; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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