Ballooning instability

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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 [1] or in space plasmas. [2] It is important in fusion research as it determines a set of criteria for the maximum achievable plasma beta. [3] 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'. [4] [5] [6]

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. [7] [8] [9]

Relation to interchange instability

The interchange instability can be derived from the equations of the ballooning instability as a special case in which the ballooning mode does not perturb the equilibrium magnetic field. [2] This special limit is known as the Mercier criterion. [3]

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References

  1. ↑ Dobrott, D.; Nelson, D. B.; Greene, J. M.; Glasser, A. H.; Chance, M. S.; Frieman, E. A. (1977-10-10). "Theory of Ballooning Modes in Tokamaks with Finite Shear". Physical Review Letters. 39 (15): 943–946. doi:10.2172/5115796. OSTI   5115796.
  2. 1 2 Hameiri, E.; Laurence, P.; Mond, M. (1991-02-01). "The ballooning instability in space plasmas". Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. 96 (A2): 1513–1526. Bibcode:1991JGR....96.1513H. doi:10.1029/90ja02100. ISSN   0148-0227.
  3. 1 2 P., Freidberg, Jeffrey (1987). Ideal magnetohydrodynamics. New York: Plenum Press. ISBN   0306425122. OCLC   15428479.
  4. ↑ Kleva, Robert G.; Guzdar, Parvez N. (2001). "Fast disruptions by ballooning mode ridges and fingers in high temperature, low resistivity toroidal plasmas". Physics of Plasmas. 8 (1): 103–109. Bibcode:2001PhPl....8..103K. doi:10.1063/1.1331098. ISSN   1070-664X.
  5. ↑ Cowley, Steven C.; Wilson, Howard; Hurricane, Omar; Fong, Bryan (2003). "Explosive instabilities: from solar flares to edge localized modes in tokamaks". Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 45 (12A): A31. Bibcode:2003PPCF...45A..31C. doi:10.1088/0741-3335/45/12A/003. ISSN   0741-3335.
  6. ↑ Panov, E. V.; Sergeev, V. A.; Pritchett, P. L.; Coroniti, F. V.; Nakamura, R.; Baumjohann, W.; Angelopoulos, V.; Auster, H. U.; McFadden, J. P. (2012). "Observations of kinetic ballooning/interchange instability signatures in the magnetotail". Geophysical Research Letters. 39 (8): n/a. Bibcode:2012GeoRL..39.8110P. doi: 10.1029/2012gl051668 . ISSN   0094-8276.
  7. ↑ Hamasaki, Seishi (1971). "Self-Consistent Calculation of an Explosive Instability". Physics of Fluids. 14 (7): 1441. Bibcode:1971PhFl...14.1441H. doi:10.1063/1.1693626. ISSN   0031-9171.
  8. ↑ Jones, Michael E.; Fukai, J. (1979). "Evolution of the explosive instability in a simulated beam plasma". Physics of Fluids. 22 (1): 132. Bibcode:1979PhFl...22..132J. doi:10.1063/1.862440. ISSN   0031-9171.
  9. ↑ Cowley, S. C.; Cowley, B.; Henneberg, S. A.; Wilson, H. R. (2015-08-08). "Explosive instability and erupting flux tubes in a magnetized plasma". Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 471 (2180): 20140913. arXiv: 1411.7797 . Bibcode:2015RSPSA.47140913C. doi:10.1098/rspa.2014.0913. ISSN   1364-5021. PMC   4550006 . PMID   26339193.


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