Current flow instability and nonlinear structures in dissipative two-fluid plasmas

doi:10.1063/1.5017521

Title: Current flow instability and nonlinear structures in dissipative two-fluid plasmas

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Abstract

The current flow in two-fluid plasma is inherently unstable if plasma components (e.g., electrons and ions) are in different collisionality regimes. A typical example is a partially magnetized $E \times B$ plasma discharge supported by the energy released from the dissipation of the current in the direction of the applied electric field (perpendicular to the magnetic field). Ions are not magnetized so they respond to the fluctuations of the electric field ballistically on the inertial time scale. In contrast, the electron current in the direction of the applied electric field is dissipatively supported either by classical collisions or anomalous processes. The instability occurs due to a positive feedback between the electron and ion current coupled by the quasi-neutrality condition. The theory of this instability is further developed taking into account the electron inertia, finite Larmor radius and nonlinear effects. It is shown that this instability results in highly nonlinear quasi-coherent structures resembling breathing mode oscillations in Hall thrusters.

Authors:

^[1];

^[1]; Umansky, M. V. ^[2];

^[3]; Kaganovich, I. D. ^[3]

Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada). Dept. of Physics and Engineering Physics
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Publication Date:: 2017-12-13

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States); Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE; US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

OSTI Identifier:: 1502008

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-752795
Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X; 939259

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344; FA9550-15-1-0226

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Physics of Plasmas

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 25; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats


                    Koshkarov, O., Smolyakov, A. I., Romadanov, I. V., Chapurin, O., Umansky, M. V., Raitses, Y., and Kaganovich, I. D. Current flow instability and nonlinear structures in dissipative two-fluid plasmas.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
        Web.  doi:10.1063/1.5017521.

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                    Koshkarov, O., Smolyakov, A. I., Romadanov, I. V., Chapurin, O., Umansky, M. V., Raitses, Y., & Kaganovich, I. D. Current flow instability and nonlinear structures in dissipative two-fluid plasmas.  United States.  doi:10.1063/1.5017521.

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                    Koshkarov, O., Smolyakov, A. I., Romadanov, I. V., Chapurin, O., Umansky, M. V., Raitses, Y., and Kaganovich, I. D. Wed .  
        "Current flow instability and nonlinear structures in dissipative two-fluid plasmas".  United States.  doi:10.1063/1.5017521.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1502008.

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@article{osti_1502008,

  title        = {Current flow instability and nonlinear structures in dissipative two-fluid plasmas},

  author       = {Koshkarov, O. and Smolyakov, A. I. and Romadanov, I. V. and Chapurin, O. and Umansky, M. V. and Raitses, Y. and Kaganovich, I. D.},

  abstractNote = {The current flow in two-fluid plasma is inherently unstable if plasma components (e.g., electrons and ions) are in different collisionality regimes. A typical example is a partially magnetized E × B plasma discharge supported by the energy released from the dissipation of the current in the direction of the applied electric field (perpendicular to the magnetic field). Ions are not magnetized so they respond to the fluctuations of the electric field ballistically on the inertial time scale. In contrast, the electron current in the direction of the applied electric field is dissipatively supported either by classical collisions or anomalous processes. The instability occurs due to a positive feedback between the electron and ion current coupled by the quasi-neutrality condition. The theory of this instability is further developed taking into account the electron inertia, finite Larmor radius and nonlinear effects. It is shown that this instability results in highly nonlinear quasi-coherent structures resembling breathing mode oscillations in Hall thrusters.},

  doi          = {10.1063/1.5017521},

  journal      = {Physics of Plasmas},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 25,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2017},

  month        = {12}

}

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