A hybrid Rayleigh-Taylor-current-driven coupled instability in a magnetohydrodynamically collimated cylindrical plasma with lateral gravity

Zhai, Xiang; Bellan, Paul M.

doi:10.1063/1.4943896

Title: A hybrid Rayleigh-Taylor-current-driven coupled instability in a magnetohydrodynamically collimated cylindrical plasma with lateral gravity

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4943896· OSTI ID:1468770

Zhai, Xiang ^[1];

^[1]

California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Applied Physics

Here we present an MHD theory of Rayleigh-Taylor instability on the surface of a magnetically confined cylindrical plasma flux rope in a lateral external gravity field. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is found to couple to the classic current-driven instability, resulting in a new type of hybrid instability that cannot be described by either of the two instabilities alone. The lateral gravity breaks the axisymmetry of the system and couples all azimuthal modes together. The coupled instability, produced by combination of helical magnetic field, curvature of the cylindrical geometry, and lateral gravity, is fundamentally different from the classic magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurring at a two-dimensional planar interface. The theory successfully explains the lateral Rayleigh-Taylor instability observed in the Caltech plasma jet experiment [Moser and Bellan, Nature 482, 379 (2012)]. Finally, potential applications of the theory include magnetic controlled fusion, solar emerging flux, solar prominences, coronal mass ejections, and other space and astrophysical plasma processes.

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Research Organization:: California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-04ER54755; SC0010471

OSTI ID:: 1468770

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1242862

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 3; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited By (5)

Experiments relevant to astrophysical jets Bellan, P. M. Journal of Plasma Physics, Vol. 84, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1017/s002237781800079x	journal	September 2018
An intuitive two-fluid picture of spontaneous 2D collisionless magnetic reconnection and whistler wave generation Yoon, Young Dae; Bellan, Paul M. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 25, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5016345	journal	May 2018
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Magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor Instability in an Experiment Simulating a Solar Loop Zhang, Yang; Wongwaitayakornkul, Pakorn; Bellan, Paul M. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 889, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab6b2d	journal	January 2020
On the nature of the magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor instability in astrophysical plasma: the case of uniform magnetic field strength Hillier, Andrew S. Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository https://doi.org/10.17863/cam.4385	text	January 2016

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