2 The linearized ideal MHO equations. . . . . . . . . . . . 204 3 Spectral problems corresponding to evolutionary problems . . 211 4 Stability of equilibrium configurations and the Energy Principle 215 5 Alternative forms of the plasma potential energy 220 6 Minimization of the potential energy with respect to a parallel displacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 7 Classification of ideal MHO instabilities . 224 8 The linearized non-ideal MHO equations . 226 Chapter 6. Homogeneous and discretely structured plasma oscillations 229 I Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 2 Alfven waves in an incompressible ideal plasma 230 3 Cold ideal plasma oscillations. . . . 233 4 Compressible hot plasma oscillations 236 5 Finite resistivity effects . . . . . . . 239 6 Propagation of waves generated by a local source 240 7 Stratified plasma oscillations . . . . . . . . . 247 8 Oscillations of a plasma slab . . . . . . . . . 254 9 Instabilities of an ideal stratified gravitating plasma 256 10 Instabilities of a resistive stratified gravitating plasma. 262 Chapter 7. MHO oscillations of a gravitating plasma slab 265 I Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 2 Gravitating slab equilibrium . . . . . . . . 266 3 Oscillations of a hot compressible plasma slab 267 4 Investigation of the slab stability via the Energy Principle 270 5 On the discrete spectrum of the operator Kk . . . . . . 274 6 On the essential spectrum of the operator Kk . . . . . . 279 7 On the discrete spectrum embedded in the essential spectrum 282 8 The eigenfunction expansion formula . . . . . . . . . . 285 9 Excitation of plasma oscillations by an external power source . 288 10 The linearized equations governing resistive gravitating plasma slab oscillations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290II Heuristic investigation of resistive instabilities. . . . . . . . . .