Linear stability of exponential density profiles

Abstract

The problem of the linear stability of a plasma with density profilesin a homogeneous magnetic field B = îzB0 has been solved exactly. The dispersion relation leads to stability criteria less severe than those obtained in the local approximation. As examples, we consider Bernstein waves and the low-frequency drift instability. In the second example the marginal stability curveis given for different values of the parameters kx, Ri, Ri n′/n, with Ti = Te. Further, the same method is applied to a plasma with equilibrium distribution function in a linear electric potential φ = αx and a homogeneous magnetic field B = îxB0.