DOI: 10.36347/sjpms.2023.v10i03.002

Pages: 97-100

This paper presents a comprehensive linear stability analysis of a horizontal layer of partially ionized plasma (PIP) subjected to a uniform vertical magnetic field. The plasma is treated as a two-component mixture consisting of ions and neutrals, which are coupled through collisions. Using the Boussinesq approximation and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) framework modified for partial ionization, the governing equations are derived and linearized about a state of rest. Applying normal-mode analysis, a dispersion relation is obtained, and the influence of magnetic field strength, collisional coupling, and ionization fraction on the onset of convective instability is investigated. The results indicate that the presence of a magnetic field introduces a stabilizing influence on the plasma, delaying the onset of convection. The strength of this stabilization depends critically on the ion-neutral collision frequency and degree of ionization. A high magnetic field or strong ion-neutral coupling increases the critical Rayleigh number, whereas weak coupling or low ionization allows the neutrals to decouple and diminish magnetic stabilization. The findings have applications in astrophysical environments such as the solar chromosphere, interstellar clouds, and protostellar disks, where partial ionization plays a significant role in plasma behavior.