Observation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in ablatively accelerated foils

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.53.1352· OSTI ID:6171328

Grun, J; Emery, M H; Kacenjar, S; Opal, C B; McLean, E A; Obenschain, S P; Ripin, B H; Schmitt, A

We present the first absolute, two-dimensionally resolved measurements of areal mass density of laser-driven ablatively accelerated foils, which show the Rayleigh-Taylor instability developing from initial mass perturbations. Our data are near simulation results which predict that the Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate is less than classical. The measurements sometimes show development of significant areal mass inhomogeneity in a direction perpendicular to that of the initially imposed perturbations.

• Research Organization: Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375
• OSTI ID: 6171328
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 53:14; ISSN PRLTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700102 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Diagnostics
700106* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Plasma Production-- (-1987)
700107 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Instabilities
ABLATION
ACCELERATION
DATA
DISTURBANCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOILS
INFORMATION
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
MASS TRANSFER
NUMERICAL DATA
PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
RESOLUTION