Plasma Drift Wave
ExB drift and drift wave instability in magnetized plasma
Wave number k
3
Growth rate γ
0.02
ExB speed v*
1.0
Diffusion D
0.01
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Magnetized plasma: B field in z.
Density gradient ∂n/∂x drives
ExB drift in y direction.
Drift wave dispersion:
ω ≈ k·v* (real part)
Unstable above threshold.
Red
= high density
Blue
= low density
Growth rate γ controls how
fast the instability grows.
Drift waves → anomalous
transport across field lines
(Bohm diffusion problem).