https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2012-30637-7
Regular Article
Transitions between drift waves in a magnetized cylindrical plasma: experiments and fluid model, solved with a spectral method
1 Institut Jean Lamour, UMR 7198 CNRS,
Université de Lorraine, Bd des
Aiguillettes, 54506
Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex,
France
2 LEMTA, UMR 7563 CNRS, Université de
Lorraine, 2 av. de la Forêt de
Haye, 54516
Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex,
France
a e-mail: etienne.gravier@ijl.nancy-universite.fr
Received:
16
October
2012
Received in final form:
21
November
2012
Published online:
24
January
2013
A bifurcation scenario between collisional drift waves with different azimuthal wavenumbers m in a magnetized plasma column is experimentally studied, and compared with a linear two-fluid model solved with a new spectral method. The control parameter is the potential of an internal metallic tube in the experiments, the electron drift along the axis of the cylinder in the model. By increasing this parameter, we find bifurcations from azimuthal modes m = 5 to m = 1. The linear properties of the model agree well with the experimental observations.
Key words: Plasma Physics
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag 2013
