Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 May 2005
We analytically and numerically discuss the plasma distribution and electron temperature enhancement in striations for a given heating source. It is shown that, in stationary conditions, the reduced plasma concentration and the temperature enhancement should be of the same order of magnitude. We deduce that the electron temperature inside striations cannot greatly exceed that in the heated volume. The elongation of striations is calculated for different transverse scales and heating powers. We show that medium sized irregularities are associated with striations and develop after the formation of striations. The peculiarities of the relaxation process for small-scale and medium sized artificial irregularities are investigated and it is found that the relaxation of small-scale irregularities exhibits two time scales, in qualitative agreement with experimental observations.