Experimental Study of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Plasma

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · Physics of Fluids (New York)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1724472· OSTI ID:4755653

Dickinson, H.; Bostick, W. H.; DiMarco, J. N.; Koslov, S.

A clear experimental observation of Rayleigh-Taylor, flute-type instability in a high-temperature plasma expanding across a magnetic field has been made with timedelay, Kerr cell, sequence photography. The wavelength and growth rate of the instability are measured as a function of time for various values of external magnetic field and background gas pressure. With interface decelerations of about 10⁹ m/sec² the instability develops in 1-4 μsec with wavelengths of about 10^-2 m. After 1-4 mu sec the flutes grow with constant velocity.

• Research Organization: Stevens Inst. of Tech., Hoboken, N.J.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-004197
• OSTI ID: 4755653
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids (New York), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids (New York) Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 5; ISSN 0031-9171; ISSN PFLDAS
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BACKGROUND
DENSITY
ELECTRIC FIELDS
EXPANSION
FLUTE INSTABILITY
FREQUENCY
GASES
LIQUID FLOW
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
MEASURED VALUES
PHOTOGRAPHY
PLASMA
PRESSURE
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
REACTION KINETICS
STABILITY
SURFACES
VELOCITY