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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
06:42
Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability
Published on: March 3, 2017
Rotational stabilization of pinch instabilities in Taylor-Couette flow
1A.F. Ioffe Institute for Physics and Technology, St. Petersburg, Russia. dasha@astro.ioffe.ru
Summary
Dissipative Taylor-Couette flow with an azimuthal magnetic field is stabilized by rotation. Even ideally unstable flows require critical angular velocity and magnetic field for real instability, demonstrating the stabilizing role of dissipation.
Area of Science:
- Magnetohydrodynamics
- Fluid Dynamics
- Plasma Physics
Background:
- Taylor-Couette flow, the fluid dynamics between two rotating cylinders, is a fundamental system for studying instabilities.
- The presence of an azimuthal magnetic field introduces complexity, potentially leading to pinch-type instabilities.
- Understanding the interplay between rotation, magnetic fields, and dissipation is crucial for predicting flow behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the axisymmetric linear stability of dissipative Taylor-Couette flow subjected to an azimuthal magnetic field.
- To determine how rotation and dissipation influence the stability of flows that are ideally unstable due to the magnetic field.
- To establish critical conditions for instability in the presence of both angular velocity and magnetic field.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of axisymmetric linear stability.
- Consideration of dissipative effects in the fluid flow.
- Application of Michael's stability condition for ideal flow as a reference.
Main Results:
- An azimuthal magnetic field alone can induce pinch-type instabilities.
- Rotation acts as a stabilizing factor, counteracting the magnetic instability.
- Dissipative effects further enhance flow stability; ideally unstable flows only become unstable above critical angular velocity and magnetic field thresholds.
Conclusions:
- Rotation is essential for stabilizing the azimuthal magnetic field in Taylor-Couette flow.
- Dissipation plays a significant role in stabilizing the flow, modifying ideal stability conditions.
- Instability in dissipative Taylor-Couette flow with an azimuthal magnetic field is contingent upon exceeding critical values for both angular velocity and magnetic field strength.
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