The nonlinear behaviour of axisymmetric hydromagnetic waves in a partially ionized plasma

Abstract

Finite amplitude effects in the propagation of axisymmetric hydromagnetic waves in a cylindrical, magnetized plasma are considered. The influence of the Hall term and the presence of neutral atoms on the resulting second-order fields is treated. For the specific case of torsional wave propagation, the combined effect of these two factors is to produce a substantial second-order azimuthal field, in addition to the axial field predicted by earlier work which neglected these factors. In some circumstances this azimuthal field is much larger than the axial field.