Radio frequency stabilization of electrostatic interchange modes

Abstract

It is shown theoretically that long-wavelength, rf fields in the ion cyclotron frequency range can stabilize low-frequency, electrostatic interchange modes. Stabilization does not require specified gradients in the spatial distribution of rf energy. This offers an appealing alternative to ponderomotive stabilization of curvature driven modes, and may help explain recent observations on the Phaedrus tandem mirror experiment.