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D.C. electric field stabilization of plasma fluctuations due to a velocity shear in the parallel ion flow
Author(s) -
Ganguli G.,
Lee Y. C.,
Palmadesso P. J.,
Ossakow S. L.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl016i007p00735
Subject(s) - transverse plane , shear flow , physics , shear (geology) , turbulence , ion , electric field , magnetic field , mechanics , flow (mathematics) , condensed matter physics , classical mechanics , geology , quantum mechanics , petrology , structural engineering , engineering
Observations from the DE 2 satellite indicate the existence of a broadband turbulence associated with sheared ion flows. A recent attempt [Basu and Coppi, 1988, 1989] to explain the observed spectrum by electrostatic waves that are driven by a sheared ion flow along the magnetic field ignores the stronger shear in the ion flow transverse to the magnetic field. We show that when the shear in the transverse ion flow is also considered the modes described by Basu and Coppi [1988, 1989] are easily stabilized and their theory breaks down even when the shear in the parallel flow exceeds the shear in the transverse flow. Hence, the explanation of the DE 2 observations based on these modes is questionable.