Richtmyer-Meshkov instability experiments on the Nova laser from nonlinear initial perturbations

Conference · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:285456

Peyser, T A; Miller, P L; Stry, P E; Budil, K S; Burke, E W

We present the results from a series of experiments recently completed on the Nova laser studying the growth of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability from an initially nonlinear perturbation. These are the first experimental measurements of the time-dependent mixing of materials at a shocked interface from a high-amplitude, short-wavelength perturbation in a high Mach number regime. The experiments were simulated using CALE, a two-dimensional arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian hydrodynamics code. The calculations correctly captured the measured growth of the mixing zone from the initial applied perturbation. The simulations also permitted consideration of nonideal effects (e.g. post-shock decompression) required to compare the results of calculation and experiment with theory. Both the experiment and calculations were found to be in good agreement with recent theories for the nonlinear evolution of the instability.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 285456
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--121573; CONF-9507167--4; ON: DE96013660
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NOVA FACILITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY