Current-driven rotating-kink mode in a plasma column with a non-line-tied free end

First experimental measurements are presented for the kink instability in a linear plasma column which is insulated from an axial boundary by finite sheath resistivity. An instability threshold below the classical Kruskal-Shafranov threshold, axially asymmetric mode structure, and rotation are obser...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2006-07, Vol.97 (1), p.015002-015002, Article 015002
Main Authors: Furno, I, Intrator, T P, Ryutov, D D, Abbate, S, Madziwa-Nussinov, T, Light, A, Dorf, L, Lapenta, G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ASYMMETRY
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
KINK INSTABILITY
PLASMA
ROTATION
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:First experimental measurements are presented for the kink instability in a linear plasma column which is insulated from an axial boundary by finite sheath resistivity. An instability threshold below the classical Kruskal-Shafranov threshold, axially asymmetric mode structure, and rotation are observed. These are accurately reproduced by a recent kink theory, which includes axial plasma flow and one end of the plasma column that is free to move due to a non-line-tied boundary condition.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.015002