Influence of equilibrium shear flow along the magnetic field on the resistive tearing instability

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.864061· OSTI ID:5592019

Paris, R B; Sy, W N

The influence of shear plasma flow along the magnetic field on the resistive tearing instability has been investigated in plane geometry. It is shown that such flows, even at significantly sub-Alfvenic speeds, have a destabilizing effect. Moreover, in nonsymmetric cases, the well-known threshold for tearing mode instability ..delta../sup prime//sub ext/ = 0 is removed. Thus, in magnetic configurations which would otherwise be stable in the absence of flow, a shear plasma flow can induce instability. Approximate growth rates have been obtained for tokamaks with significant equilibrium plasma rotation and an application to the ISX-B experiments is briefly discussed.

• Research Organization: Association Euratom-CEA sur la Fusion, Departement de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
• OSTI ID: 5592019
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 26:10; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
ENERGY
EQUILIBRIUM PLASMA
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
PLASMA
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
ROTATING PLASMA
SHEAR
STABILITY
TEARING INSTABILITY
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THRESHOLD ENERGY
TOKAMAK DEVICES