Nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in fast z-pinches

Journal Article · Tue Sep 16 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Physics of Plasmas

OSTI ID:965069

Miles, A R

A simplified analytic model is presented to describe the implosion of a plasma column by an azimuthal magnetic field of sufficient magnitude to drive a strong shock wave into the plasma. This model is employed together with buoyancy-drag-based models of nonlinear single-mode and turbulent multimode Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) growth to investigate the mixing process in such fast z-pinches. These models give predictions that characterize limitations the instability can impose on the implosion in terms of maximum convergence ratios (CR) attainable for an axially coherent pinch. Both the implosion and instability models are validated with results from high-resolution numerical simulations.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 965069
• Report Number(s): LLNL-JRNL-407151; PHPAEN; TRN: US200919%%440
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 16; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUMM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CONVERGENCE
IMPLOSIONS
INSTABILITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA
SHOCK WAVES