Drift wave instability in the Helimak experiment

Electrostatic drift wave linear stability analysis is carried out for the Helimak configuration and compared against experimental data. Density fluctuation and cross-spectrum measurements show evidence of a coherent mode propagating perpendicular to the magnetic field which becomes unstable at k s 0.15. By comparing the experimental results with the wave characteristic of linear two-fluid theory, this mode is identified as an unstable resistive drift wave driven by the density gradient and magnetic grad-B/curvature present in an otherwise magnetohydrodynamic stable steady-state equilibrium. © 2006 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2168401