Effects of compressibility on the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability in Z-pinch implosions with sheared axial flows

Journal Article · Wed Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2167912· OSTI ID:20782510

Yang, Zhang; Ning, Ding ^[1]

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1. Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, P.O. Box 8009, Beijing 100088 (China)

A linear analysis of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability of the compressible Z-pinch plasma with axial flow is presented. Comparing with results of incompressible models, compressibility can reduce the growth rate of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT)/Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability and allow sheared axial flows to mitigate the MRT instability far more effectively. The effect of magnetic field, which cannot be detected in an incompressible model, is also investigated. The result indicates that the mitigation effect of magnetic field on the MRT instability becomes significant as the perturbation wave-number increases. Therefore, with the cooperation of sheared axial flow, magnetic field, and plasma compressibility, the stability of the Z-pinch plasma is improved remarkably. In addition, the analysis also suggests that in an early stage of the implosion, because the plasma temperature is relatively low, the compressible model is much more suitable than the incompressible one based on the framework of MHD theory.

• OSTI ID: 20782510
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 13; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COMPRESSIBILITY
COOPERATION
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
HELMHOLTZ INSTABILITY
IMPLOSIONS
ION TEMPERATURE
LINEAR Z PINCH DEVICES
LONGITUDINAL PINCH
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
SHEAR
STABILITY