Non-Adiabatic Stability Analysis of Current and Magnetic Curvature Driven Modes in Cold Plasmas Penetrated by Neutral Gas

摘要

Previous stability theories concerning electrostatic current and magnetic curvature driven modes in cold plasma mantle boundary layers are generalized. In particular the commonly used adiabatic approximation is relaxed. In the general theory presented important new effects associated with heat conduction, ionization and ohmic heating are found. In combination with viscosity and resistivity these effects introduce additional stabilizing as well as destabilizing effects. Furthermore the present theory typically predicts similar stability properties as the adiabatic theory in the limit alpha d(1nT)/d(1nn) alpha <<1. However in the limit alpha d(1nT)/d(1nn) alpha >>1 the general theory predicts less favourable stability properties. One may speculate that these conclusions also apply to more general types of electrostatic modes associated with density and temperature gradients in cold plasma mantel boundary layers. (Atomindex citation 10:459963)