Linear and nonlinear development of m=0 instability in a diffuse Bennett Z-pinch equilibrium with sheared axial flow

Journal Article · Thu Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3457925· OSTI ID:21389097

Paraschiv, I; Bauer, B S; Lindemuth, I R; Makhin, V ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557-0058 (United States)

The effect of sheared axial flow on the Z-pinch sausage instability has been examined with two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Diffuse Bennett equilibria in the presence of axial flows with parabolic and linear radial profiles have been considered, and a detailed study of the linear and nonlinear development of small perturbations from these equilibria has been performed. The consequences of both single-wavelength and random-seed perturbations were calculated. It was found that sheared flows changed the internal m=0 mode development by reducing the linear growth rates, decreasing the saturation amplitude, and modifying the instability spectrum. High spatial frequency modes were stabilized to small amplitudes and only long wavelengths continued to grow. Full stability was obtained for supersonic plasma flows.

• OSTI ID: 21389097
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 17, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3457925; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
DISTURBANCES
EQUILIBRIUM
LONGITUDINAL PINCH
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA
PLASMA SIMULATION
SAUSAGE INSTABILITY
SUPERSONIC FLOW
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
MECHANICS
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SIMULATION