Blob dynamics in an inhomogeneous plasma

Convective blob propagation in the scrape-off-layer and/or limiter shadow region is analyzed analytically and numerically with emphasis on effects of a gradient in the equilibrium plasma density. The gradient of the equilibrium plasma density is taken into account beyond the Boussineque approximation. It is shown that the vorticity modification due to the plasma density gradient leads to the acceleration for the blobs propagating into the region of lower density and de-acceleration for the blobs propagating toward the regions of higher density. Analytical estimates are corroborated by direct numerical simulations.