Preliminary report of numerical simulations of intermediate wavelength collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability in equatorial spread F. Memorandum report
Computer simulations of the intermediate wavelength (100-1000 m) collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability have been performed using parameters typical of the post-sunset bottomside (300 km) equatorial F region ionosphere. For ambient electron density gradient scale lengths L = 5, 10, 15 km we find that the linearly unstable modes saturate by nonlinear generation of linearly damped vertical modes with the result that in the nonlinear regime power laws are observed in the horizontal P/sub x/ varies as k sub x to the minus nth power and vertical Pk/sub y/ varies as k/sub y/ to the minus nth power one-dimensional power spectra with n = 2-2.5. These results are consistent both with in situ experimental data and theoretical prediction.
- Research Organization:
- Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5002983
- Report Number(s):
- AD-A-079313
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
SPREAD F
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
EQUATOR
F REGION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
THEORETICAL DATA
DATA
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
INFORMATION
INSTABILITY
IONOSPHERE
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
SIMULATION
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena