Ion-acoustic eigenmodes in a helical magnetic mirror

Abstract: Plasma rotation together with corrugation of magnetic field can result in coupling acoustic waves with different azimuthal wavenumbers and formation of eigenmodes with discrete frequency spectrum and zero longitudinal group velocity in a helical magnetic mirror. Such eigenmodes can be destabilized by plasma rotation as well as resonant interaction with trapped ions. Equations describing these waves in the linear approximation are derived and results of numerical solving the equations are discussed. Probably these eigenmodes may drive anomalous ions scattering which is needed for effective suppressing flow of rarefied plasma through a helical mirror.