Nonlinear excitation of zonal flows and streamers in plasmas

Journal Article · Sun May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3587107· OSTI ID:21537802

Benkadda, S ^[1]; Klochkov, D N ^[2]; Popel, S I; Izvekova, Yu N ^[3]

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1. International Institute for Fusion Science, CNRS-Universite de Provence Case 321, Centre de Saint Jerome, 13397 Marseille Cedex 20 (France)
2. Prokhorov Institute of General Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova street 38, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation)
3. Institute for Dynamics of Geospheres, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect 38-1, Moscow 119334 (Russian Federation)

Nonlinear excitation of zonal flows and streamers in plasmas is considered. The emphasis is given to the nonlinear interaction of low- and high-frequency drift waves which can result in the excitation of zonal flows and streamers in a plasma of fusion devices. For this purpose, an inhomogeneous nonisothermal plasma in a strong external magnetic field whose characteristic frequencies are lower than the ion Langmuir frequency but higher than the collision frequency is studied. The excitation of a long-wavelength low-frequency drift wave during the development of the nonlinear modulational interaction of a high-frequency drift pump wave is investigated. The growth rates of the modulational instability are obtained, and the conditions for its development are determined. Self-organized structures described by solutions of evolutionary equations for the modulational interaction are associated with zonal flows and streamers. A possible relation of the modulational interaction in Earth's ionospheric plasma to the formation of dust flows and transport of dust particles in the ionosphere is also discussed. It is shown that one of the ways of transport of dust particles in the ionosphere is vertical flows (streamers), which are generated by dust vortices as a result of development of the modulational instability.

• OSTI ID: 21537802
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 18; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
DUSTS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INHOMOGENEOUS PLASMA
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
INTERACTIONS
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
VORTICES
WAVE PROPAGATION