Hall Effect, or Hyperbolic Magnetohydrodynamics, HMHD

Abstract

The MHD theory of present magnetic fusion research is briefly reviewed with emphasis on its mathematically diffusive character. The importance of retaining the Hall effect term, neglected in ideal or resistive MHD theory, is stressed. Elliptic MHD theory is critically dismissed. The Hall effect, or Hyperbolic, MagnetoHydro-Dynamics, HMHD, is shown to follow as the consequence of a revision of plasma electrodynamics so as to account for the fundamental plasma quasineutrality. The non-validity of Newton’s third law in charged particle contexts is then central. Previously poorly understood phenomena, such as plasma edge effects and magnetic field line reconnection are found to be inherent properties in this HMHD plasma description. The “magnetic bottle” principle for high density plasma confinement is shown to be physically unsound because there will exist a no-confinement plasma boundary region with HMHD theory properties. Arguments for non-thermal fusion, provided by HMHD theory, are given.