Recent advances in the turbulent Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Journal Article · Sun May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1871952· OSTI ID:20736593

Dimonte, Guy; Ramaprabhu, P; Youngs, D L; Andrews, M J; Rosner, R ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

In the turbulent Rayleigh-Taylor instability, the light fluid penetrates the heavy fluid as bubbles with a diameter D{sub b} and amplitude h{sub b} that grow self-similarly D{sub b}{proportional_to}h{sub b}{approx}{alpha}{sub b}A gt{sup 2} where A is Atwood number, g is acceleration, and t is time. Experiments measure an acceleration constant {alpha}{sub b}{approx}0.04-0.08 whereas the highest resolution three-dimensional numerical simulations obtain {alpha}{sub b}{approx}0.02-0.03 with idealized initial conditions. This paper reconciles this apparent discrepancy with new simulations that quantify the importance of initial conditions on {alpha}{sub b}. The results compare favorably with experiments and a model based on self-similar bubble dynamics.

• OSTI ID: 20736593
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 12; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
PLASMA
PLASMA SIMULATION
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TURBULENCE