Nonlinear interactions of tearing modes in the presence of shear flow

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860238· OSTI ID:7205638

Chen, X L; Morrison, P J ^[1]

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

The interaction of two near-marginal tearing modes in the presence of shear flow is studied. To find the time asymptotic states, the resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations are reduced to four amplitude equations, using center manifold reduction. These amplitude equations are subject to the constraints due to the symmetries of the physical problem. For the case without flow, the model that is adopted has translation and reflection symmetries. Presence of flow breaks the reflection symmetry, while the translation symmetry is preserved, and hence flow allows the coefficients of the amplitude equations to be complex. Bifurcation analysis is employed to find various possible time asymptotic states. In particular, the oscillating magnetic island states discovered numerically by Persson and Bondeson (Phys. Fluids {bold 29}, 2997 (1986)) are discussed. It is found that the flow-introduced parameters (imaginary part of the coefficients) play an important role in driving these oscillating islands.

• DOE Contract Number: FG05-80ET53088
• OSTI ID: 7205638
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Vol. 4:4; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
TEARING INSTABILITY
SHEAR PROPERTIES
SYMMETRY
AMPLITUDES
ASYMPTOTIC SOLUTIONS
HELICITY
INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW
MAGNETIC ISLANDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MHD EQUILIBRIUM
REFLECTION
SLABS
EQUILIBRIUM
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
700340* - Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities- (1992-)