Hybrid simulations of current-carrying instabilities in z-pinch plasmas with sheared axial flow

The development of instabilities in z-pinch plasmas has been studied with three-dimensional (3D) hybrid simulations¹. Plasma equilibria without and with sheared axial flow have been considered. Results from the linear phase of the hybrid simulations compare well with linear Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) calculations for sausage modes. The hybrid simulations show that sheared axial flow has a stabilizing effect on the development of both sausage and kink modes.