Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of composite plasma in an oblique magnetic field with resistivity

Abstract

The hydromagnetic K-H instability of two (one finitely conducting and another non-conducting) super-imposed fluids slipping past each other, with a relative velocity, in the presence of neutral particles for density discontinuity has been analyzed. The magnetic field is taken oblique to the interface. A general dispersion relation has been derived through proper boundary conditions. The general condition is discussed separately for the horizontal (parallel and perpendicular to the streaming) and the vertical magnetic field. The static fluid is considered as both finitely and infinitely conducting whereas the streaming fluid is non-conducting. It is observed that the presence of the neutral particles modifies the conditions of the ideal-plasma modes for both the horizontal and the vertical magnetic field. Furthermore, it is observed that the growth rate varies as the one-third power of the resistivity whereas the neutral particles merely change the constant of proportionality.