Theoretical investigation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in laser-produced plasmas driving into background gases
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique-Energie, Materiaux et Telecommunications, Varennes, Quebec (Canada)
Aluminum plasmas produced at moderate laser fluences in atmospheres of helium (a light gas) and argon (a heavy gas) are simulated by using a one-dimensional Lagrangian fluid code. The resulting data are used as input for Dimonte's buoyancy-drag model for Rayleigh-Taylor instability development. The ablated matter and the shock wave generated in the gas are treated consistently by solving the fluid equations in both media. In helium, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability develops during the interface deceleration stage and grows for a considerable time. For the heavy argon gas, the instability operates only during the much shorter acceleration stage and is probably masked by interdiffusion. For the same laser fluence, the mixing width in helium is predicted to grow faster for ultrashort pulses than for nanosecond pulses. The relative size of the mixing width compared to the plume length is more significant at higher gas pressure.
- OSTI ID:
- 21072630
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 14, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2766497; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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