Influence of velocity shear on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Journal Article · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL009i005p00547· OSTI ID:6805502

Guzdar, P N; Satyanarayana, P; Huba, J D; Ossakow, S L

The influence of a transverse velocity shear on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated. It is found that a sheared velocity flow can substantially reduce the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in short wavelength regime (i.e., kL>1 where L is the scale length of the density inhomogeneity), and causes the growth rate to maximize at kL<1.0. Applications of this result to ionospheric phenomena (equatorial spread F (ESF) and ionospheric plasma clouds) are discussed. In particular, the effect of shear could account for, at times, the 100's of km modulation observed on the bottomside of the ESF ionosphere and the km scale size wavelengths observed in barium cloud prompt striation phenomena.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., McLean, Virginia 22102
• OSTI ID: 6805502
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 9:5; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
&amp; Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
HELMHOLTZ INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY
INSTABILITY GROWTH RATES
IONOSPHERE
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DRIFT
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
SHEAR
VELOCITY