Abstract
The influence of magnetic shear on the lower-hybrid-drift instability is investigated, including application to microstability properties of post-implosion reversed-field-pinch profiles. Two complementary analyses are performed. One analysis includes the influence of magnetic shear and finite ion beta in a fully electromagnetic model that assumes Te/Ti≪1, but otherwise incorporates the effects of transverse magnetic perturbations (δB≠0). The other analysis includes the influence of magnetic shear and finite Te/Ti in an electrostatic model that neglects finite plasma beta effects. In both cases, it is found that sufficiently strong magnetic shear can completely stabilize the lower-hybrid-drift instability. The theoretical model is used to investigate the microstability properties of post-implosion reversed-field-pinch profiles. It is shown that the lower-hybrid-drift instability persists in regions of moderate magnetic shear only if the local density gradient is sufficiently large. Moreover, for the diffuse profiles anticipated in the Los Alamos ZT-40 experiment, the lower-hybrid-drift instability is completely stabilized.
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