Modeling Volumetric Energy Deposition-driven Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Technical Report · Wed Aug 27 04:00:00 EDT 2025

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2588038· OSTI ID:2588038

Turner, Benjamin Jack ^[1]; Zambrano, Noah Claude ^[1]; Timko, Allyson Brooke ^[1]; Wilson, Brandon Merrill ^[1]; Thrussell, Jasper ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

The goal of this work is to simulate a volumetric energy deposition (VED) driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI). Efforts will focus on simulating effects observed in two-fluid VED-driven RTI experiments. The VED triggers the RTI by changing the density of the fluids through time, hence a variable Atwood number is achieved. While initially stable (heavier fluid on the bottom), the microwave heating creates a density inversion and leads to a RTI. We hope to explore the mechanisms in VED-driven RTI and see how initial perturbations change the dynamics of growth. This work will primarily focus on early-time behavior but will also include steps towards simulating late-time nonlinear behavior.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 2588038
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--25-28805
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING