Free MHD Shear Layers In The Presence Of Rotation And Magnetic Field

Abstract

We present an experimental and numerical study of hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic free shear layers and their stability. We first examine the experimental measurement of globally unstable hydrodynamic shear layers in the presence of rotation, and their range of instability. These are compared to numerical simulations, which are used to explain the modification of the shear layer and thus the critical Rossby number for stability. Magnetic fields are then applied to these scenarios, and globally unstable magnetohydrodynamic shear layers generated. These too are compared to numerical simulations, showing behavior consistent with the hydrodynamic case and previously reported measurements. a) Electronic mail: ejspence@pppl.gov