Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in multilayer fluids with surface tension

Journal Article · Sat Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Physical Review, A; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.42.7211· OSTI ID:5835644

Mikaelian, K O ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (USA)

Surface tension modifies the evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor and the Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in fluids undergoing a constant acceleration or a shock, respectively. We analyze the general case of {ital N} fluids with arbitrary densities and surface tensions and derive the eigenvalue equation determining the growth rate of the perturbations. For {ital N}=2 we recover the classical case of two semi-infinite fluids and extend it to the case of two finite-thickness fluids between fixed boundaries. The {ital N}=3 case is studied in detail; we find universal modes that are independent of the thickness of the intermediate fluid, and we find how surface tension modifies Taylor's modes for a single fluid with free boundaries. We also analyze in detail recent and future two- or three-fluid experiments. Representing a shock as an impulsive acceleration we find that post-shock oscillations have frequencies and amplitudes that depend on the wave number {ital k}, leading to a nontrivial evolution for the spectrum of perturbations. Finally, we study turbulence at the interface between two fluids with surface tension and present specific predictions for the turbulent energy {ital E}{sub turbulent} as function of the surface tension {ital T}{sup ({ital s})}. We propose new experiments, physical and/or numerical, to test our predictions.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5835644
• Journal Information: Physical Review, A; (USA), Vol. 42:12; ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
FLUIDS
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
CORRELATIONS
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
INTERFACES
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
SURFACE TENSION
CONFINEMENT
INSTABILITY
PLASMA
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
SURFACE PROPERTIES
640410* - Fluid Physics- General Fluid Dynamics