Evolution and Large-Electric-Field Suppression of the Transverse Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability

Abstract

The interior of a plasma column is subjected to shear of arbitrary magnitude in the $\overrightarrow{\mathrm{E}}\times \overrightarrow{\mathrm{B}}$ rotation. The resultant Kelvin-Helmholtz instability undergoes an evolution in mode structure as the radial electric field is increased, and is suppressed when the Doppler-shifted wave frequency equals 0.5 to 0.65 times the ion-cyclotron frequency. Cyclotron waves appear concomitant with this suppression; these have properties in agreement with linear fluid theory.