SPACE PLASMA FLOW · Effect of Inhomogeneous Parallel Flow on Plasma Waves and Instabilities

The prevalent theories of parallel flow have considered plasma waves and instabilities in the presence of only flow shear. As a result, these theories have predicted only excitation (destabilization) of instabilities which has lead to the well-known hypothesis that `parallel flow shear is the origin of many space oscillations and instabilities'. However, here we propose to develop a model of space plasma oscillations and instabilities in the presence of a more realistic flow profile including both flow shear and flow curvature. Now, with the inclusion of flow curvature the stability picture is expected to be changed drastically. The flow curvature, contrary to the flow shear, can actually STABILIZE the modes which is rather opposite to the well-know hypothesis of the generation of space fluctuations by the parallel velocity shear. Furthermore, the new model of space oscillations in the presence of both flow shear and curvature, being more realistic, is expected to produce results which should fit better with the spacecraft data. These results are also expected to have important implications in the communication systems and space weather technologies. Apart from the space plasma and fluid dynamics community, the theory proposed to be developed here will also have application in the plasma and fusion energy technology.