Generalized elliptic equilibria in the magnetohydrodynamic approximation

Abstract

A simple class of static equilibria, in the ideally conducting magnetohydrodynamic approximation, is found to include linear systems having surfaces of constant hydrodynamic pressure with a cylindrical topology and elliptic transverse cross-section functionally dependent on an axial co-ordinate. These suggest a possible mode of behaviour for non-axisymmetric toroidal systems and might themselves be realized experimentally as free boundary configurations of a plasma in an applied quadrupole-like magnetic field.