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Numerical simulation of the excitation and evolution of high-azimuthal-mode-number coherent vortices in hollow magnetized electron columns

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2001

R. MARCHAND
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J1
M. SHOUCRI
Affiliation:
Centre Canadien de Fusion Magnétique, Varennes, Quebec, Canada J3X 1S1

Abstract

A finite-element code is used to study the excitation of a perturbation with a range of azimuthal mode numbers in hollow magnetized plasma columns, and the subsequent nonlinear development and evolution of coherent vortices interacting to coalesce, while cascading to a lower azimuthal mode number. It is shown that, even for initially higher azimuthal mode numbers, the angular momentum remains a slowly varying ideal invariant, while the system cascades to lower azimuthal mode numbers. A detailed study of the evolution is presented for initially excited m = 3, m = 4, and m = 5 azimuthal modes, which underlines the physics of the inverse cascade of angular momentum.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2001 Cambridge University Press

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