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The gravitational interchange instability for perpendicular density gradients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

R. B. Paris
R. B. Paris
Affiliation:
Department of Mathemetical and Computer Sciences, Dundee Insitute of Technology, Dundee DD1 1HG, U.K.
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Abstract

The analouge of the Reyleigh–Taylor instability (the gravitational interchange mode) for an infinitely conducting, approximately one-dimensional plane plasma slab is examined when the gravitational acceleration g is taken to be perpendicular to the equalibrium density gradient δp0. In contrast with the ‘classical’ situation (where g is aligned with δp0), it is found for a current layer with Magnetic shear that there is no instability threshold equivalent to the ‘classical’ situation (where g is aligned with δp0), it is found for a current layer with magnetic shear that there is no instability threshold equivalent to the Suydam criterion: the mode is unstable for all values of |δp0|. In the weak shear limit the growth rate of the instability is shown to exhibit the familiar (g|δp0|/p0)img; scaling characteristic of the gravitational interchange mode.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , February 1993 , pp. 85 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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