Stability of electrostatic modes in a levitated dipole

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.872100· OSTI ID:466906

Kesner, J ^[1]

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1. Plasma Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

Plasma confined in a magnetic dipole is stabilized by the expansion of the magnetic flux. The stability of low beta electrostatic modes in a magnetic dipole field is examined when the distribution function is to lowest order Maxwellian. It is shown that for sufficiently gentle density and temperature gradients the configuration would be expected to be stable to magnetohydrodynamic interchange, as well as to dissipative trapped ion and collisionless trapped particle modes. These results are applicable to any magnetic configuration for which the curvature drift frequency exceeds the diamagnetic drift frequency. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 466906
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 4; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ELECTROSTATICS
LEVITATION
MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT
MAGNETIC DIPOLES
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
TOKAMAK DEVICES
TRAPPED-PARTICLE INSTABILITY