Laboratory investigations of sheared-flow effects on instabilities for flow either parallel or perpendicular to the magnetic field

West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown WV

Investigators

Abstract

The general theme for this project is laboratory investigation of plasma instabilities generated by shear flows. The project consists of 4 separate sub-projects, each of which is being investigated by a graduate student. Three of the four experiments will be performed on plasma machines located at West Virginia University (WVU). The fourth experiment will be performed at the Large Plasma Device(LaPD) facility located at UCLA. The three sub-projects that will be investigated at WVU are: (1) kinetic Buneman waves produced by shear in the electron flows parallel to the magnetic field., (2) the non-linear evolution of Farley-Buneman waves, and (3) perpendicular velocity shear effects on drift-wave induced energy transport. The fourth project, which will be done at LaPD, will investigate stationary inertial Alfven waves and their influence on spatial and temporal fluctuations of plasma density and electron acceleration. Three of the four subprojects have significant relevance to space plasma phenomena and in particular to phenomena in the ionospheric auroral zone. The project on velocity-shear instabilities excited in toroidal geometry is a more basic plasma science study that has particular relevance to plasma fusion devices.