MAGNETIC REYNOLDS NUMBER

combination of quantities that indicates the dynamic behaviour of a plasma. This number is analogous to the Reynolds number of ordinary fluid mechanics, which is used to determine whether or not a fluid flow will smooth out or become turbulent. If the magnetic permeability of free space is represented by m0 (a constant of proportionality used in expressing the force between two electric charges), the electrical conductivity of the plasma is represented by s, the plasma velocity by V, and a length characteristic of the plasma structure is L, then the magnetic Reynolds number equals their product, or Rm = m0sVL. According to the magnetohydrodynamic description of the plasma, there are two general types of behaviour for the magnetic field depending upon the value of Rm. If Rm is much smaller than 1, the magnetic field will diffuse away, and inhomogeneities in the field will be smoothed out, as in the flow of a fluid smoothing out. If Rm is very large, the magnetic-field lines tend to remain frozen into the plasma, moving along with the plasma flow.