Energy absorption in the continuous spectrum of ideal MHD
- 1 February 1975
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Journal of Plasma Physics
- Vol. 13 (1), 87-105
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022377800025897
Abstract
The relationship between energy absorption and the continuous frequency spectrum of the linearized equations of ideal MHD is investigated. We limit ourselves to incompressible fluid perturbations for which the continuum stems from resonant surfaces where the oscillation frequency equals the local frequency of an Alfvén wave. Details of this absorption process are illustrated by obtaining the response of the diffuse sheet pinch to an external current source. Expressions are derived that give the rate at which energy is transferred to the plasma, and show the spatial distribution of the absorbed energy. The results indicate that the absorption is enhanced if the plasma profile has regions of large spatial gradients. This enhanced absorption is a consequence of the presence of surface waves.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Plasma Heating by Alfvén-Wave Phase MixingPhysical Review Letters, 1974
- Magnetofluid-Dynamic Spectrum and Low Shear StabilityProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1973
- Decay of MHD waves by phase mixingThe European Physical Journal A, 1973
- Decay of MHD waves by phase mixingThe European Physical Journal A, 1973
- Growth rates and spectra for a particular axially symmetric equilibriumPhysics of Fluids, 1973
- Ion heating by geometrical Landau dampingPhysica, 1972
- Alfvén Waves in Inhomogeneous Magnetic FieldsPhysics of Fluids, 1972
- PlasmasPhysics Today, 1969
- Resonant Absorption in Zero-Temperature Nonuniform PlasmaPhysics of Fluids, 1969
- Plasma Oscillations and Landau DampingPhysics of Fluids, 1963