Harmonic Generation and Inverse Cascade in the z-Pinch Driven, Preseeded Multimode, Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Ruiz, D.  E.; Yager-Elorriaga, D.  A.; Peterson, K.  J.; Sinars, D.  B.; Weis, M.  R.; Schroen, D.  G.; Tomlinson, K.; Fein, J.  R.; Beckwith, K.

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.128.255001

Harmonic Generation and Inverse Cascade in the z-Pinch Driven, Preseeded Multimode, Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Journal Article · Tue Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.128.255001· OSTI ID:1872030

^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; Weis, M. R. ^[1]; ^[2]; Tomlinson, K. ^[2]; ^[1]; Beckwith, K. ^[1]

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)

We report the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRTI) plays an essential role in astrophysical systems and in magneto-inertial fusion, where it is known to be an important degradation mechanism of confinement and target performance. In this Letter, we show for the first time experimental evidence of mode mixing and the onset of an inverse-cascade process resulting from the nonlinear coupling of two discrete preseeded axial modes (400- and 550 - μm wavelengths) on an Al liner that is magnetically imploded using the 20-MA, 100-ns rise-time Z Machine at Sandia National Laboratories. Four radiographs captured the temporal evolution of the MRTI. We introduce a novel unfold technique to analyze the experimental radiographs and compare the results to simulations and to a weakly nonlinear model. We find good quantitative agreement with simulations using the radiation magnetohydrodynamics code hydra. Spectral analysis of the MRTI time evolution obtained from the simulations shows evidence of harmonic generation, mode coupling, and the onset of an inverse-cascade process. The experiments provide a benchmark for future work on the MRTI and motivate the development of new analytical theories to better understand this instability.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003525

OSTI ID:: 1872030

Report Number(s):: SAND2022-6835J; 706586

Journal Information:: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 25 Vol. 128; ISSN 0031-9007

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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