Fast growing instabilities for non-parallel flows

Abstract

Unstable modes growing when two plasma shells cross over a background plasma at arbitrary angle $\theta$, are investigated using a non-relativistic three cold fluids model. Parallel flows with $\theta=0$ are slightly more unstable than anti-parallel ones with $\theta=\pi$. The case $\theta=\pi/2$ is as unstable as the $\theta=0$ one, but the fastest growing modes are oblique. While the most unstable wave vector varies with orientation, its growth rate slightly evolves and there is no such thing as a stable configuration. A number of exact results can be derived, especially for the $\theta=\pi/2$ case.