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Radiative instabilities in sheared magnetic fieldThe structure and growth rate of the radiative instability in a sheared magnetic field B have been calculated analytically using the Braginskii fluid equations. In a shear layer, temperature and density perturbations are linked by the propagation of sound waves parallel to the local magnetic field. As a consequence, density clumping or condensation plays an important role in driving the instability. Parallel thermal conduction localizes the mode to a narrow layer where K(parallel) is small and stabilizes short wavelengths k larger-than(c) where k(c) depends on the local radiation and conduction rates. Thermal coupling to ions also limits the width of the unstable spectrum. It is shown that a broad spectrum of modes is typically unstable in tokamak edge plasmas and it is argued that this instability is sufficiently robust to drive the large-amplitude density fluctuations often measured there.
Document ID
19880047704
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Drake, J. F.
(Maryland, University College Park, United States)
Sparks, L.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Van Hoven, G.
(California, University Irvine, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1988
Publication Information
Publication: Physics of Fluids
Volume: 31
ISSN: 0031-9171
Subject Category
Plasma Physics
Accession Number
88A34931
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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