The effect of shape in the three-dimensional ablative Rayleigh--Taylor instability. I: Single-mode perturbations

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860543· OSTI ID:6829471

Dahlburg, J P; Gardner, J H ^[1]; Doolen, G D ^[2]; Haan, S W ^[3]

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1. Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)
2. Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
3. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)

The nonlinear saturation amplitudes attained by Rayleigh--Taylor perturbations growing on ablatively stabilized laser fusion targets are crucial in determining the survival time of those targets. For a given set of baseline simulation parameters, the peak amplitude is found to be a progressive function of cross-sectional perturbation shape as well as of wave number, with three-dimensional (3-D) square modes and two-dimensional (2-D) axisymmetric bubbles saturating later, and at higher amplitudes than two-dimensional planar modes. In late nonlinear times hydrodynamic evolution diverges; the 3-D square mode bubble continues to widen, while the 2-D axisymmetric bubble fills in.

• OSTI ID: 6829471
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Vol. 5:2; ISSN 0899-8221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
PERTURBATION THEORY
SHAPE
ABLATION
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
BUBBLES
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
LASER RADIATION
PELLETS
PLASMA SIMULATION
CONFINEMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
INSTABILITY
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
RADIATIONS
SIMULATION
700340* - Plasma Waves
Oscillations
& Instabilities- (1992-)