Stabilization of the lower hybrid drift instability by resonant electrons

The lower‐hybrid drift instability is studied with a two‐dimensional electrostatic simulation code. Simulations show good agreement of the measured local growth rates and frequencies with the results of local theory during the early stage of wave growth. At later times nonlocal effects become important, and a coherent mode structure develops. This normal mode is observed to propagate up the density gradient. At zero plasma beta and zero electron temperature, it is found that the lower‐hybrid drift instability is stabilized by the local current relaxation due to both ion quasilinear diffusion and electron E×B trapping which causes electron heating to occur.