Perturbative analysis of sheared flow Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in a weakly relativistic magnetized electron fluid

In the interaction of intense lasers with matter/plasma, energetic electrons having relativistic energies get created. These energetic electrons can often have sheared flow profiles as they propagate through the plasma medium. In an earlier study [Phys. Plasmas 17, 022101 (2010)], it was shown that a relativistic sheared electron flow modifies the growth rate and threshold condition of the conventional Kelvin—Helmholtz instability. A perturbative analytic treatment for the case of weakly relativistic regime has been provided here. It provides good agreement with the numerical results obtained earlier.