This research program will utilize the West Virginia University Q Machine to perform an experimental study of plasma turbulence that is driven by velocity shear structures. The ion-cyclotron and ion-acoustic plasma instabilities are known to be important in the generation and propagation of waves in the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. It has been found that inhomogeneities in perpendicular flows have been shown to significantly decrease the threshold at which these plasma instabilities may be excited. Laboratory experiments will be performed to elucidate the roles of the different mechanisms that have been identified, might lead to enhanced growth rates of these instabilities. The expermental results will have direct application to wave phenomena observed in the magnetosphere and ionosphere.
