Current helicity and magnetic energy of the perturbation integrated over the measured volume vs time. Total magnetic field and current density obtained by superposition of mean values and peak fluctuations. Field directions are displayed by selected field lines, magnitudes are shown as 2D contours and 3D isosurfaces. Total magnetic field lines in a volume whose axial length is extrapolated to the actual column length. Flux ropes are located near the peak density perturbation.
Contours show the total magnetic field strength.
Magnetized electrons perform cyclotron orbits and drifts due to nonuniform E , B fields. Magnetic field is weakened and electron cyclotron radius exceeds gradient scale length of E , B , leading to nonadiabatic motions near d n max . Effective demagnetization of electrons limits the cross-field drift which saturates the instability. Return to Publications, full index page. Return to References page.