Anomalous transport properties associated with the lower-hybrid-drift instability

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Abstract
The linear stability behavior and anomalous transport properties associated with the lower‐hybrid‐drift instability are studied assuming flute‐like perturbations with k⋅B0=0. Primary emphasis is placed on the low‐drift‐velocity regime with VE≲vThi (here, VE is the cross‐field electron E×B drift velocity), which pertains to the late stages of implosion and the post‐implosion phase of high‐density pinch experiments. Nonlinear estimates of the instantaneous heating rates and rate of momentum transfer are made, and the results are studied numerically to determine the parametric dependence on VE/vThi and the level of turbulent field fluctuation energy EF. It is shown that the lower‐hybrid‐drift instability can result in substantial resistivity and plasma heating for VE≲vThi, as well as for the large‐drift‐velocity regime (VE≳vThi). For example, when Ti/Te≫1 and ω2pe/ω2ce≫1, the bound on anomalous resistivity for VE≲vThi is [nan]max≃4π√π/2(VE/vThi)2 ωLH/ω2ce, where ωLH = (ωciωce)1/2 is the lower‐hybrid frequency. This large value of resistivity is consistent with observations made during the post‐implosion phase of the ZT‐1 experiment.