Nonlinear saturation of the drift cyclotron loss-cone instability

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6691743

Myer, R C

The nonlinear saturation of the drift cyclotron loss-cone (DCLC) instability is considered for the case of a mirror confined plasma, when a single mode is dominant, close to a point of marginal stability. The plasma equilibrium exists in slab geometry with a density gradient which is perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field. The linear modes are electrostatic with no variation along the magnetic field lines and radial calculations are in the local approximation. Analytical expressions for the time-asymptotic electrostatic potential, distribution function, and densities are obtained as a function of the fractional increase of the density gradient above its critical value. The saturation amplitude of the mode is then determined by a nonlinear technique developed earlier.

• OSTI ID: 6691743
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
COLLISIONAL PLASMA
CYCLOTRON INSTABILITY
DRIFT INSTABILITY
EQUILIBRIUM PLASMA
INSTABILITY
LOSS CONE INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC MIRROR CONFIGURATIONS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
OPEN CONFIGURATIONS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES