Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T05:41:41.886Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The growth of Alfvén waves in the resistive current-driven instability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 1997

GUANG-LI HUANG
Affiliation:
Purple Mountain Observatory, Academia Sinica, Nanjing 210008, P.R. China
REN-YING WANG
Affiliation:
Chinese Industrial and Commercial Bank, Yangzou 225000, P.R. China

Abstract

On the basis of a two-fluid, cold-plasma, linear stability calculation with linear friction between electrons and ions, the growth rate of Alfvén waves is derived from the dispersion relation for a uniformly magnetized plasma, in which the plasma resistivity and a uniform electric current carried by an electron beam are both considered. The growth rate is directly proportional to the plasma resistivity, the electric current density and the value of the parameter ωxpee (where ωxpe and Ωe are the electron plasma and cyclotron frequency respectively). Moreover, the growth of Alfvén waves is mainly excited in a direction nearly parallel to the ambient magnetic field. The critical value of the velocity of the electron fluid is just equal to the Alfvén velocity. The results of this paper are compared with those for the linear tearing mode.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
1997 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)