arXiv · 1405.6220
Kelvin-Helmholtz versus Hall Magneto-shear instability in astrophysical flows
Abstract
We study the stability of shear flows in a fully ionized plasma. Kelvin-Helmholtz is a well known, macroscopic and ideal shear-driven instability. In sufficiently low density plasmas, also the microscopic Hall magneto-shear instability can take place. We performed three-dimensional simulations of the Hall-MHD equations where these two instabilities are present, and carried out a comparative study. We find that when the shear flow is so intense that its vorticity surpasses the ion-cyclotron frequency of the plasma, the Hall magneto-shear instability is not only non-negligible, but it actually displays growth rates larger than those of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.
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Daniel O. Gomez, Cecilia Bejarano, Pablo D. Mininni. 2014-05-23. Kelvin-Helmholtz versus Hall Magneto-shear instability in astrophysical flows. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.89.053105
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