Finite Larmor radius effects on weakly magnetized, dilute plasmas

We investigate the stability properties of a hot, dilute and differentially rotating weakly magnetized plasma which is believed to be found in the interstellar medium of galaxies and protogalaxies and in the low-density accretion flows around some giant black holes like the one in the Galactic Centre. In the linear magnetohydrodynamic regime, we consider the combined effects of gyroviscosity and parallel viscosity on the magnetorotational instability. The helical magnetic field is considered in the investigation. We show that the gyroviscous effect and the pitch angles cause a powerful gyroviscous instability. Furthermore, in most of the cases, plasma with the above-mentioned properties is unstable and the growth rates of the unstable modes are larger than that of the magnetorotational instability. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 RAS.