Electronic edition ISSN 1574-0579

Surface instability of the plane layer of conducting liquid

I. Kolesnichenko , S. Khripchenko

Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics, Perm, Russia

Abstract
In this paper, the behavior of the plane layer of conducting liquid with a free surface is studied. The layer is assumed to be subjected to volumetric electromagnetic forces caused by the interaction between the electrical current, flowing through the layer, and the magnetic field. The vector of these forces lies in the layer plane. Because of the applied forces, the layer surface can be fixed at equilibrium position. It is found that under certain parameters this position can be unstable against disturbances. The probability of the vortex flow in the layer could decrease the stability threshold of the equilibrium position of the layer surface against disturbances. Tables 2, Figs 5, Refs 8.