Abstract
Ordered structures as well as chaotic motion of the magnetic electron
drift vortex
(MEDV) mode in a unmagnetized nonuniform plasma are discussed. In the collisionless
limit, the nonlinear MEDV waves can self-organize into dipolar vortices
or vortex chains. The latter exist in the regime where dipolar vortices
are forbidden.
When dissipation is included, the governing equations for the MEDV mode
can be
cast into the form of the Lorenz equations, so that chaotic solutions can
exist.