Radiative Thermal Instability and Bifurcation

A radial hydrodynamic model is used to investigate the radiative thermal instability in the scrape-off layer by applying a linear stability analysis of existing equilibrium states. Phase space trajectories are analyzed to derive conditions of their existence and bifurcation. Equilibrium profiles are calculated for the cases of homogeneous plasma temperature, plasma density and self-consistency. Unstable perturbations, localized in the scrape-off layer, may lead to a strongly radiating detached plasma belt.