Alfven ion-cyclotron instability in tandem-mirror plasmas. I

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

OSTI ID:6745389

Smith, G R

The linear theory of Alfven ion-cyclotron instability is studied for ion distributions that model those in tandem-mirror plasmas. The uniform-plasma approximation leads to the following qualitative stability results. Distributions that fill a mirror cell of mirror ratio R have stability limits for beta (plasma pressure/magnetic-field pressure) that increase rapidly with R. Warm ions can damp instability caused by anisotropic hot ions. Injection of neutral beams at angles far from perpendicular to the magnetic field is a method of plasma formation with good stability properties. A plasma composed of ions with different charge-to-mass ratios can achieve beta approximately twice as large as for a single-ion-species plasma. The model distributions used here are convenient also for the eikonal treatment of axially nonuniform plasmas, which are studied in a subsequent paper.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, California 94550
• OSTI ID: 6745389
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 27:6; ISSN PFLDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700107* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
BEAM INJECTION
BETA RATIO
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLD PLASMA
CYCLOTRON INSTABILITY
DISTRIBUTION
EIKONAL APPROXIMATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HIGH-BETA PLASMA
INSTABILITY
IONS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
NEUTRAL ATOM BEAM INJECTION
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
RADIATIONS
TANDEM MIRRORS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TMX DEVICES