ISSN:
1089-7666
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
A theory of unstable magnetic-drift waves was first discussed by Krall and Rosenbluth [Phys. Fluids 6, 254 (1963)]. However, the growth rate is exceedingly small and, therefore, the instability seems to be unimportant. It is found in the present analysis that a weak electron temperature anisotropy T⊥〈T(parallel) can lead to a much stronger instability. When there is no temperature gradient, the conditions of the new instability are (c2k2/ω2e+1)(T⊥/T(parallel))−1 〈0, εn/εB〉0, where εn=(1/n)(∂n/∂x) and εB=(1/B)(∂B/∂x). In this case, the instability is attributed to wave–electron interactions, whereas the case discussed by Krall and Rosenbluth [Phys. Fluids 6, 254 (1963)] attributes the instability to wave–ion interactions. A general discussion including a temperature gradient is presented with the usual local approximation which is justifiable when kεn〉1.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.865613
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