Stabilization of short-wavelength disturbances in the Rayleigh--Taylor instability of plastic solids by a surface layer of high yield strength

doi:10.2172/7258754

Abstract

The mechanical effects of a thin surface layer in reducing the growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a plastic solid plate is investigated by representing the surface layer as an elastic plate of high yield strength and high bonding strength to the plastic. This plate may be either the surface layer itself or a composite material formed by interactions of the surface layer with the solid surface layers. In this approximation it is found under wide ranges of conditions that short-wavelength disturbances are stabilized in linear approximation. In this limit the ''gravitational'' energy increment of the displaced plastic solid is overcome by the elastic shear energy of the stretched plate. Long-wavelength disturbances are very weakly affected by this mechanism. For a plastic plate of approximately 1-cm thickness subjected to a pressure difference of approximately 100 kbar we expect wavelengths shorter than lambda/sub c/ approximately 10/sup -1/ cm to be effectively stabilized by this mechanism.

A comparison of analytical techniques for modeling the Rayleigh-Taylor response of elastic-plastic solids

Robinson, A.C. April 1988

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability response of elastic-plastic solids can be modeled by approximate means. However, neither the linear elastic response equation nor the so-called /open quotes/minimum amplitude/close quotes/ instability criterion derived from rigid plastic analyses is sufficient to describe overall stability characteristics at very large driving pressures. We compare several versions of the modal or one-degree-of-freedom approximation technique and indicate the common features which must be included to obtain the qualitative response seen in numerical experiments.
DOI: 10.2172/6990194

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Preliminary report of numerical simulations of intermediate wavelength collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability in equatorial spread F. Memorandum report

Keskinen, M.J. ; Ossakow, S.L. ; Chaturvedi, P.K. November 1979

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 withmore »« less
THEORY OF THE DYNAMIC STABILIZATION OF THE RAYLEIGH--TAYLOR INSTABILITY.

Troyon, F. ; Gruber, R. January 1970
Use of resonance for the dynamic stabilization of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability and for the excitation of the related parametric instabilities

Holitzner, H. ; Wolf, G.H. February 1973
THE DYNAMIC STABILIZATION OF THE RAYLEIGH--TAYLOR INSTABILITY AND THE CORRESPONDING DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM.

Wolf, G.H. January 1969

Title: Stabilization of short-wavelength disturbances in the Rayleigh--Taylor instability of plastic solids by a surface layer of high yield strength

Abstract

Citation Formats

A comparison of analytical techniques for modeling the Rayleigh-Taylor response of elastic-plastic solids

Preliminary report of numerical simulations of intermediate wavelength collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability in equatorial spread F. Memorandum report

THEORY OF THE DYNAMIC STABILIZATION OF THE RAYLEIGH--TAYLOR INSTABILITY.

Use of resonance for the dynamic stabilization of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability and for the excitation of the related parametric instabilities

THE DYNAMIC STABILIZATION OF THE RAYLEIGH--TAYLOR INSTABILITY AND THE CORRESPONDING DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM.