Coalescence of magnetic islands
A detailed numerical analysis has been conducted of the instability described by Finn and Kaw in which parallel currents in neighboring islands tend to coalesce into larger units. The existence of this coalescence instability in the ideal magnetohydrodynamic limit is confirmed, but no evidence is found for a threshold in island width. The linear growth rates are found to be rapid compared with those for purely resistive processes, and the linear mode structure has only a weak dependence on resistivity. In the nonlinear regime, saturation of the mode in the ideal case is observed due to flux piling up at the X point, while in the nonideal case the merging process is observed to proceed to completetion.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024
- OSTI ID:
- 5723863
- Journal Information:
- Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 22:11; ISSN PFLDA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
COALESCENCE
CURRENTS
EIGENFUNCTIONS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
FLUID MECHANICS
FUNCTIONS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PERTURBATION THEORY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
POTENTIALS
SATURATION
TEARING INSTABILITY
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VORTICES