We perform a general analysis of the long‐wavelength mirror instability in multispecies plasmas with generally non‐Maxwellian distributions. The general dispersion relation depends on several moments of the distribution function, in addition to the perpendicular and parallel temperature. A most general condition of the mirror instability is derived that is valid for any gyrotropic distribution functions of the plasma species and any number of species. Deviations of the bi‐Maxwellian shape may be favorable for the mirror instability but may also suppress it. The resulting effect is rather sensitive to the details of the distribution function.
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Gedalin et al. (2002) studied this question.
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