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Instability and saturation of drift-convective modes in an inhomogeneous plasma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

R. Balescu
Affiliation:
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Düsseldorf, D-4000 Düsseldorf, F.R. Germany
H. Bessenrodt
Affiliation:
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Düsseldorf, D-4000 Düsseldorf, F.R. Germany
P. K. Shukla
Affiliation:
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Düsseldorf, D-4000 Düsseldorf, F.R. Germany
K. H. Spatschek
Affiliation:
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Düsseldorf, D-4000 Düsseldorf, F.R. Germany

Abstract

It is found that the inclusion of the electron inertia effect (parallel to an external magnetic field) can provide a linear coupling between the electrostatic drift and the convective modes in a non-uniform plasma. This coupling leads to new branches of rapidly growing modes, which are calculated in the kinetic as well as in the hydrodynamic regimes. To study the saturation of the linear unstable modes, we account for the mode coupling and derive a set of model nonlinear fluid equations. A perturbation technique is employed to obtain a nonlinear evolution equation. In the steady state, the latter yields the saturated electric potential. It is argued that the enhanced low-frequency fluctuations can cause anomalous particle transport in a magnetoplasma.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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