Three-dimensional instability of drift vortices

Plasma vortices stability is investigated in relation to perturbations propagating along the vortex axis, that is in relation to three-dimensional perturbations. Vortices of potential (E=-Δφ) drift perturbations for which the dynamics along the external magnetic field B is characterized by ion sound are considered. Ratios characterizing the vortice stability in relation to longitudinal perturbations are produced for linear perturbations and an alternative method of producing the same ratios within the framework of long-wave perturbation theory is demonstrated. A qualitative analysis of stability of a particular vortex type -modons -is conducted