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Plasma Instabilities
In plasma physics, plasma stability concerns the stability properties of a plasma in equilibrium and its behavior under small perturbations. The stability of the system determines if the perturbations will grow, oscillate, or be damped out. It is an important consideration in topics such as nuclear fusion and astrophysical plasma. In many cases, a plasma can be treated as a fluid and analyzed with the theory of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). MHD stability is necessary for stable operation of magnetic confinement fusion devices and places certain operational limits. The beta limit, for example, sets the maximum achievable plasma beta in tokamaks. On the other hand, small-scale plasma instabilities (typically described by kinetic theory), such as the drift wave instability, are believed to be the driving mechanism of turbulent transport in tokamaks, which leads to high rate of particle and energy transport across the confining magnetic fields. Plasma instabilities described by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unstable , Neutral, And Stable Equilibrium
In dynamical systems instability means that some of the outputs or internal state (controls), states increase with time, without bounds. Not all systems that are not Stability theory, stable are unstable; systems can also be marginal stability, marginally stable or exhibit limit cycle behavior. In structural engineering, a structural beam or column can become unstable when excessive compressive load is applied. Beyond a certain threshold, structural Deflection (engineering), deflections magnify stress (physics), stresses, which in turn increases deflections. This can take the form of buckling or crippling. The general field of study is called structural stability. Atmospheric instability is a major component of all weather systems on Earth. Instability in control systems In the theory of dynamical systems, a state variable in a system is said to be unstable if it evolves without bounds. A system itself is said to be unstable if at least one of its state variables is unstabl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Particle Beam
A particle beam is a stream of charged particle, charged or neutral particles other than photons. In Particle accelerator, particle accelerators, these particles can move with a velocity close to the speed of light. There is a difference between the creation and control of charged particle beams and neutral particle beams, as only the first type can be manipulated to a sufficient extent by devices based on electromagnetism. The manipulation and diagnostics of charged particle beams at high kinetic energies using particle accelerators are main topics of accelerator physics. Sources Charged particles such as electrons, positrons, and protons may be separated from their common surroundings. This can be accomplished by processes such as thermionic emission or arc discharge. The following devices are commonly used as sources for particle beams: * Ion source * Cathode-ray tube, or more specifically in one of its parts called electron gun. This is also part of traditional television and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magnetic Buoyancy Instability
In plasma physics, magnetic buoyancy is an upward force exerted on magnetic flux tubes that are immersed in electrically conducting fluids and are under the influence of a gravitational force. It acts on magnetic flux tubes in stellar convection zones where it plays an important role in the formation of sunspots and starspots. It was first proposed by Eugene Parker in 1955. Magnetic flux tubes For a magnetic flux tube in hydrostatic equilibrium with the surrounding medium, the tube's interior magnetic pressure p_m and fluid pressure p_i must be balanced by the fluid pressure p_e of the exterior medium, that is, :p_e = p_i + p_m. The magnetic pressure is always positive, so p_e > p_i. As such, assuming that the temperature of the plasma within the flux tube is the same as the temperature of the surrounding plasma, the density of the flux tube must be lower than the density of the surrounding medium. Under the influence of a gravitational force, the tube will rise. Instability The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeans Instability
The Jeans instability is a concept in astrophysics that describes an instability that leads to the gravitational collapse of a cloud of gas or dust. It causes the collapse of interstellar gas clouds and subsequent star formation. It occurs when the internal gas pressure is not strong enough to prevent the gravitational collapse of a region filled with matter. It is named after James Jeans. For stability, the cloud must be in hydrostatic equilibrium, which in case of a spherical cloud translates to \frac=-\frac, where M_\text(r) is the enclosed mass, ''p'' is the pressure, \rho(r) is the density of the gas (at radius ''r''), ''G'' is the gravitational constant, and ''r'' is the radius. The equilibrium is stable if small perturbations are damped and unstable if they are amplified. In general, the cloud is unstable if it is either very massive at a given temperature or very cool at a given mass; under these circumstances, the gas pressure gradient cannot overcome gravitational fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Firehose Instability
The firehose instability (or hose-pipe instability) is a dynamical instability of thin or elongated galaxies. The instability causes the galaxy to buckle or bend in a direction perpendicular to its long axis. After the instability has run its course, the galaxy is less elongated (i.e. rounder) than before. Any sufficiently thin stellar system, in which some component of the internal velocity is in the form of random or counter-streaming motions (as opposed to rotation), is subject to the instability. The firehose instability is probably responsible for the fact that elliptical galaxies and dark matter haloes never have axis ratios more extreme than about 3:1, since this is roughly the axis ratio at which the instability sets in. It may also play a role in the formation of barred spiral galaxies, by causing the bar to thicken in the direction perpendicular to the galaxy disk. The firehose instability derives its name from a similar instability in magnetized plasmas. However, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Electrothermal Instability
__NOTOC__ The electrothermal instability (also known as ionization instability, non-equilibrium instability or Velikhov instability in the literature) is a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability appearing in magnetized non-thermal plasmas used in MHD converters. It was first theoretically discovered in 1962 and experimentally measured into a MHD generator in 1963 by Evgeny Velikhov. Physical explanation and characteristics This instability is a turbulence of the electron gas in a non-equilibrium plasma (i.e. where the electron temperature Te is greatly higher than the overall gas temperature Tg). It arises when a magnetic field powerful enough is applied in such a plasma, reaching a critical Hall parameter βcr. Locally, the number of electrons and their temperature fluctuate (electron density and thermal velocity) as the electric current and the electric field. The Velikhov instability is a kind of ionization wave system, almost frozen in the two temperature gas. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Critical Ionization Velocity
Critical ionization velocity (CIV), or critical velocity (CV), is the relative velocity between a neutral gas and plasma (an ionized gas), at which the neutral gas will start to ionize. If more energy is supplied, the velocity of the atoms or molecules will not exceed the critical ionization velocity until the gas becomes almost fully ionized. The phenomenon was predicted by Swedish engineer and plasma scientist, Hannes Alfvén, in connection with his model on the origin of the Solar System (1942). At the time, no known mechanism was available to explain the phenomenon, but the theory was subsequently demonstrated in the laboratory.U.V. Fahleson, "Experiments with plasma moving through neutral gas", Phys. Fluids, 4 123 (1961) Subsequent research by Brenning and Axnäs (1988) have suggested that a ''lower hybrid'' plasma instability is involved in transferring energy from the larger ions to electrons so that they have sufficient energy to ionize. Application of the theory to astro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drift Instability
In plasma physics, a drift wave is a type of collective excitation that is driven by a pressure gradient within a magnetised plasma, which can be destabilised by differences between ion and electron motion (then known as drift-wave instability or drift instability). The equations which describe these waves a number of solutions, including ion-acoustic solitary waves, and are roughly analogous to modons. The drift wave typically propagates across the pressure gradient and is perpendicular to the magnetic field. It can occur in relatively simple configurations such as in a column of plasma with a non-uniform density but a straight magnetic field. Drift wave turbulence is responsible for the transport of particles, energy and momentum across magnetic field lines. The characteristic frequency associated with drift waves involving electron flow is given by \omega^* = k_\perp \left(-\frac\frac\right) , where k_\perp is the wavenumber perpendicular to the pressure gradient of the plasma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ballooning Instability
The ballooning instability (a.k.a. ballooning mode instability) is a type of internal pressure-driven plasma instability usually seen in tokamak fusion power reactors or in space plasmas. It is important in fusion research as it determines a set of criteria for the maximum achievable plasma beta. The name refers to the shape and action of the instability, which acts like the elongations formed in a long balloon when it is squeezed. In literature, the structure of these elongations are commonly referred to as 'fingers'. The narrow fingers of plasma produced by the instability are capable of accelerating and pushing aside the surrounding magnetic field in order to cause a sudden, explosive release of energy. Thus, the instability is also known as the explosive instability. Dispersion Relation The dispersion relation is \omega (\omega - \omega _*pi) = k_\parallel ^2 -2\mu _0 \kappa \nabla P /\beta^2 1+b_i )V_A ^2 where S=1+n_e \delta/n_ec , \delta = \beta_e/ (\omega_*pi -\omeg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edge-localized Mode
An edge-localized mode (ELM) is a plasma instability occurring in the edge region of a tokamak plasma due to periodic relaxations of the edge transport barrier in high-confinement mode. Each ELM burst is associated with expulsion of particles and energy from the confined plasma into the scrape-off layer. This phenomenon was first observed in the ASDEX tokamak in 1981. Diamagnetic effects in the model equations expand the size of the parameter space in which solutions of repeated sawteeth can be recovered compared to a resistive MHD model. An ELM can expel up to 20 percent of the reactor's energy. Issues ELM is a major challenge in magnetic fusion research with tokamaks, as these instabilities can: * Damage wall components (in particular divertor plates) by ablating them away due to their extremely high energy transfer rate (GW/m2); * Potentially couple or trigger other instabilities, such as the resistive wall mode (RWM) or the neoclassical tearing mode (NTM). Prevention a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokamak
A tokamak (; ) is a device which uses a powerful magnetic field generated by external magnets to confine plasma (physics), plasma in the shape of an axially symmetrical torus. The tokamak is one of several types of magnetic confinement fusion, magnetic confinement devices being developed to produce controlled thermonuclear fusion power. The tokamak concept is currently one of the leading candidates for a practical fusion reactor for providing minimally polluting electrical power. The proposal to use controlled thermonuclear fusion for industrial purposes and a specific scheme using thermal insulation of high-temperature plasma by an electric field was first formulated by the Soviet physicist Oleg Lavrentiev in a mid-1950 paper. In 1951, Andrei Sakharov and Igor Tamm modified the scheme by proposing a theoretical basis for a thermonuclear reactor, where the plasma would have the shape of a torus and be held by a magnetic field. The first tokamak was built in the Soviet Union ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
