Finite Larmor radius and Hall effects on thermosolutal instability of a plasma

Abstract

The thermosolutal instability of a plasma with finite Larmor radius and Hall effects is studied. When the instability sets in as stationary convection, finite Larmor radius effects are always stabilizing forx(=k2d2/π2 greater than two and forx less than two, they have a stabilizing or destabilizing influence depending on the Larmor radius parameterN in the presence of Hall currents. On the other hand the Hall currents have both stabilizing and destabilizing effects on the thermosolutal instability forx less than two and forx greater than two depending on the Hall parameterM. The stable solute gradient is found to have a stabilizing effect on stationary convection. The case of overstability is also considered wherein the sufficient conditions for the non-existence of overstability are derived.