Thermal Instability of a Partially Ionized Plasma

Abstract

A study is made of the thermal hydromagnetic instability of a rotating and finitely conducting composite medium, including frictional effects with neutrals. The prevalent magnetic field is assumed to be uniform and vertical. The effects of the magnetic field and rotation are found to be stabilizing on the thermal instability of such a composite medium. The case of a partially ionized medium is also considered, including the effect of Hall currents in the presence of a uniform vertical magnetic field. For stationary convection, the collisions have no effect while the Hall currents are found to have a destabilizing effect on the thermal instability.