Anomalous Heat Transport and Vortex Formation Due to Electron–Temperature–Gradient Driven Drift Waves In a Sheared Flow Plasma

Abstract

By employing Braginskii transport equations for electrons, we derive a system of nonlinear equations which govern the dynamics of low-frequency short–wavelength electromagnetic waves in the presence of equilibrium density, temperature and magnetic field gradients. New electron-temperature-gradient driven electromagnetic drift–wave instabilities are shown to exist. Anomalous electron energy transport caused by nonthermal electromagnetic fluctuations is also derived. Furthermore, possible stationary solutions of the nonlinear system are obtained in the form of spatially bounded dipolar as well as chain of vortices. The results of our investigations should be helpful to understand the wave phenomena in space and laboratory plasmas.