Algebraic instability of hollow electron columns and cylindrical vortices

Journal Article · Mon Feb 05 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Physical Review Letters; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.64.649· OSTI ID:6966168

Smith, R A ^[1]; Rosenbluth, M N ^[2]

---

1. Department of Physics, B-019, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (USA)
2. Department of Physics, B-019, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 G. A. Technologies, La Jolla, California 92138 (USA)

An axisymmetric, amgnetically confined electron column, in which the {bold E}{times}{bold B} rotation frequency is not a monotone function of radius, is linearly unstable to two-dimensional, electrostatic disturbances with azimuthal mode number {ital l}=1. The perturbation density is asymptotically proportional to {radical}{ital t} and may be described as a shift of the core of the column. A particle-in-cell simulation indicates that harmonics grow rapidly and that there are secondary instabilities. An identical instability arises in hollow circular vortex columns in an inviscid, incompressible neutral fluid.

• OSTI ID: 6966168
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters; (USA), Journal Name: Physical Review Letters; (USA) Vol. 64:6; ISSN PRLTA; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640430* -- Fluid Physics-- Magnetohydrodynamics
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ASYMPTOTIC SOLUTIONS
AZIMUTH
CONFINEMENT
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUILIBRIUM
FERMIONS
FLUID FLOW
HARMONICS
IDEAL FLOW
INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW
INSTABILITY
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT
OSCILLATIONS
PERTURBATION THEORY
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
SIMULATION
SYMMETRY