Anomalous transport properties associated with the lower-hybrid-drift instability

Abstract

The linear stability behavior and anomalous transport properties associated with the lower-hybrid-drift instability are studied assuming flute-like perturbations with k⋅B0=0. Primary emphasis is placed on the low-drift-velocity regime with VE≲vThi (here, VE is the cross-field electron E×B drift velocity), which pertains to the late stages of implosion and the post-implosion phase of high-density pinch experiments. Nonlinear estimates of the instantaneous heating rates and rate of momentum transfer are made, and the results are studied numerically to determine the parametric dependence on VE/vThi and the level of turbulent field fluctuation energy ℰF. It is shown that the lower-hybrid-drift instability can result in substantial resistivity and plasma heating for VE≲vThi, as well as for the large-drift-velocity regime (VE≳vThi). For example, when Ti/Te≫1 and ω2pe/ω2ce≫1, the bound on anomalous resistivity for VE≲vThi is [nan]max≃4π√π/2(VE/vThi)2 ωLH/ω2ce, where ωLH = (ωciωce)1/2 is the lower-hybrid frequency. This large value of resistivity is consistent with observations made during the post-implosion phase of the ZT-1 experiment.