Energy Principle for Dissipative Two-fluid Plasmas

Abstract

Abstract An energy principle for the dissipative two-fluid theory in Lagrangian form is given. It represents a necessary and sufficient condition for stability allowing the use of test functions. It is exact for two-dimensional disturbances but is still correct in terms of perturbation theory for long wavelengths along the magnetic field. This may well find application in tokamak plasmas. A discussion of the general case and its relation to the stability of flows in hydrodynamics is given. This energy principle may be applied for estimating the magnitude of residual tearing modes in tokamaks.