STABILITY OF A PLASMA BOUNDARY IN A MAGNETIC FIELD

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1961 · Physics of Fluids (U.S.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1706415· OSTI ID:4043362

Lehnert, B

The stability of a plasma confined by a magnetic field has been discussed by Rosenbluth and Longmire in terms of particle orbits and the results applied to a plasma separated from vacuum by a sharp boundary which is rippled by a sinusoidal pedurbation. This earlier theory is reconsidered and extended to include the effects of a finite density gradient. Drift motions along the boundary are also discussed for displacements comparable to and exceeding the wavelength of the perturbation. For small wavelengths it is found that the plasma is stable against small flute deformations not only for a magnetic field which is convex toward the plasma but also for a field which is concave toward the plasma, provided that the latter has a sufficiently strong gradient and that the density distribution is not too steep. Even in the unstable case the growth rate is reduced very much compared to the situation studied by Rosenbluth and Longmire. The result provides a possible explanation of the observed stability of the Van Allen radiation belts and in experiments with magnetic mirrors and rotating plasma devices. (auth)

• Research Organization: Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-15-024140
• OSTI ID: 4043362
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids (U.S.), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 4; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DIFFUSION
FREQUENCY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MOBILITY
MOTION
PARTICLES
PHYSICS
PLASMA
RADIATION BELTS
REFLECTION
ROTATION
STABILITY
THERMAL DIFFUSION
VELOCITY