Linear kinetic theory of high-m tearing modes

A linear electromagnetic kinetic theory of high-m tearing modes, for frequencies less than or comparable to the electron-ion collision frequency, is presented. A pitch-angle scattering Fokker–Planck operator is used to model electron-ion collisions. In the presence of an electron temperature gradient, a high-m tearing mode instability occurs over a broad range of tokamak parameters. Electrostatic effects are vital in obtaining these unstable modes.