Coalescence instability of magnetic islands

Technical Report · Sun Feb 29 23:00:00 EST 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7364034· OSTI ID:7364034

Finn, J. M.; Kaw, P. K.

The stability of a periodic magnetic island structure was studied using the ideal MHD equations. An instability is found which describes the tendency toward coalescence of parallel currents in the neighboring islands. It is expected that this instability will proceed at a fast MHD rate as long as the forces driving the instability can overcome the stabilizing forces due to the compression of the magnetic field between the islands. Beyond that phase, resistivity is expected to dominate the tendency toward island coalescence. Island coalescence of this kind can explain why in the observation of tearing mode instabilities in tokamaks, only the modes with minimum values of m and n are seen.

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ., N.J. (USA). Plasma Physics Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
• OSTI ID: 7364034
• Report Number(s): MATT-1220
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700202* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Magnet Coils & Fields
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TOKAMAK DEVICES