Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: The macroscopic ideal-MHD stability of an axisymmetric mirror device with sonic levels of plasma rotation is analyzed by approximating the plasma equilibrium as a rotating isothermal theta pinch possessing an artificial gravity. Starting from a set of single-fluid, ideal-MHD, isothermal fluid equations, a linear, second-order, eigenmode equation for the radial component of the Lagrangian fluid displacement is derived which governs the stability of the equilibrium to small perturbations in the case of an arbitrary plasma angular velocity profile. The stability of the m=1 and m=2 modes is investigated. For the case of rigid plasma rotation, the plasma is found to be stable to these two modes provided that it is sufficiently short in the axial direction. For the case of sheared plasma rotation, the $m=2$ mode is found to be difficult to stabilize. This is the case for both monotonically decreasing rotation profiles, and profiles that peak off the magnetic axis.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Author: Fitzpatrick, Richard
Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7203500215