Current-driven rotating-kink mode in a plasma column with a non-line-tied free end.
First experimental measurements are presented for the kink instability in a linear plasma column which is insulated from an axial boundary by finite sheath resistivity. An instability threshold below the classical Kruskal-Shafranov threshold, axially asymmetric mode structure, and rotation are observed. These are accurately reproduced by a recent kink theory, which includes axial plasma flow and one end of the plasma column that is free to move due to a non-line-tied boundary condition.
Furno
I
I
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Mail Stop E526, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA. ivo.furno@epfl.ch
Intrator
T P
TP
Ryutov
D D
DD
Abbate
S
S
Madziwa-Nussinov
T
T
Light
A
A
Dorf
L
L
Lapenta
G
G