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Title: Observation of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution in a plasma with magnetic and viscous effects

Abstract

We present time-resolved observations of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability (RTI) evolution at the interface between an unmagnetized plasma jet colliding with a stagnated, magnetized plasma. The observed instability growth time (~10μs) is consistent with the estimated linear RTI growth rate calculated using experimentally inferred values of density (~1014cm–3) and deceleration (~109 m/s2). The observed mode wavelength (≳1 cm) nearly doubles within a linear growth time. Furthermore, theoretical estimates of magnetic and viscous stabilization and idealized magnetohydrodynamic simulations including a physical viscosity model both suggest that the observed instability evolution is subject to magnetic and/or viscous effects.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM (United States); Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1234926
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1225390
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-14-29580
Journal ID: ISSN 1539-3755; PLEEE8
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 92; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 1539-3755
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Adams, Colin S., Moser, Auna L., and Hsu, Scott C. Observation of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution in a plasma with magnetic and viscous effects. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.92.051101.
Adams, Colin S., Moser, Auna L., & Hsu, Scott C. Observation of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution in a plasma with magnetic and viscous effects. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.92.051101
Adams, Colin S., Moser, Auna L., and Hsu, Scott C. 2015. "Observation of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution in a plasma with magnetic and viscous effects". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.92.051101. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1234926.
@article{osti_1234926,
title = {Observation of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution in a plasma with magnetic and viscous effects},
author = {Adams, Colin S. and Moser, Auna L. and Hsu, Scott C.},
abstractNote = {We present time-resolved observations of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability (RTI) evolution at the interface between an unmagnetized plasma jet colliding with a stagnated, magnetized plasma. The observed instability growth time (~10μs) is consistent with the estimated linear RTI growth rate calculated using experimentally inferred values of density (~1014cm–3) and deceleration (~109 m/s2). The observed mode wavelength (≳1 cm) nearly doubles within a linear growth time. Furthermore, theoretical estimates of magnetic and viscous stabilization and idealized magnetohydrodynamic simulations including a physical viscosity model both suggest that the observed instability evolution is subject to magnetic and/or viscous effects.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevE.92.051101},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1234926}, journal = {Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics},
issn = {1539-3755},
number = 5,
volume = 92,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 06 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Fri Nov 06 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

Journal Article:

Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 11 works
Citation information provided by
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Works referencing / citing this record:

A survey of fluid and kinetic instabilities relevant to space and laboratory plasmas
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Experimental Study of Ion Heating in Obliquely Merging Hypersonic Plasma Jets
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