Transverse Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability in aQ-Machine Plasma

Abstract

The $Q$-machine "edge oscillation" is identified as a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability by a comparison of theory with experiment. Specifically, measurements of frequency and of radial variation in wave phase and amplitude agree with numerical integrations of the radial wave equation, including finite parallel wavelength. The computations show that the instability is caused principally by velocity shear.