Convective amplification of drift-acoustic waves in sheared flows

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Physics of Plasmas; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.870848· OSTI ID:6802640

Waelbroeck, F L; Dong, J Q; Horton, W; Yushmanov, P N ^[1]

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1. Institute for Fusion Studies, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

The evolution of wave packets is investigated in a cold-ion plasma model with sheared magnetic and velocity fields. Wave packets may be amplified by the drift Kelvin--Helmholtz mechanism even when the velocity shear is such that normal modes are stable. It is shown that the logarithm of the convective amplification can be an order of magnitude greater than the logarithm of the steady-state amplification often taken as the measure of convective instability. For a given wave number, the maximum of either of these amplifications decreases only as the inverse of the perpendicular component of the velocity shear.

• DOE Contract Number: FG05-80ET53088
• OSTI ID: 6802640
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas; (United States) Vol. 1:12; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700340* -- Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities-- (1992-)
COLD PLASMA
CONVECTIVE INSTABILITIES
DRIFT INSTABILITY
EIGENSTATES
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
STABILIZATION
WAVE PACKETS