On the continua in two-dimensional nonadiabatic magnetohydrodynamic spectra

The equations for the continuous subspectra of the linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) normal modes spectrum of two-dimensional (2D) plasmas are derived in general curvilinear coordinates, taking nonadiabatic effects in the energy equation into account. Previously published derivations of continuous spectra in the 2D ideal MHD case and in 1D nonadiabatic MHD are thus complemented with calculations for 2D nonadiabatic MHD spectra. The nonadiabatic MHD spectrum contains a thermal continuum in addition to the well-known Alfven and slow continua. These thermal continuum modes are exponentially decaying or growing in time. The latter unstable modes are widely accepted as an explanation for the onset of marfes in tokamaks and the most favored hypothesis for prominence formation in the solar corona. A numerical code has been developed to calculate the continuum modes. An investigation of a typical 'pre-MARFE' (multifaceted asymmetric vadiation from the edge) equilibrium is presented. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-664X(00)03604-1].