Anisotropy and feedthrough in magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Journal Article · Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics (Print)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVE.83.066405· OSTI ID:21554527

Lau, Y Y; Zier, J C; Rittersdorf, I M; Weis, M R; Gilgenbach, R M ^[1]

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1. Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2104 (United States)

The magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRT) of a finite slab is studied analytically using the ideal MHD model. The slab may be accelerated by an arbitrary combination of magnetic pressure and fluid pressure, thus allowing an arbitrary degree of anisotropy intrinsic to the acceleration mechanism. The effect of feedthrough in the finite slab is also analyzed. The classical feedthrough solution obtained by Taylor in the limit of zero magnetic field, the single interface MRT solution of Chandrasekhar in the limit of infinite slab thickness, and Harris' stability condition on purely magnetic driven MRT, are all readily recovered in the analytic theory as limiting cases. In general, we find that MRT retains robust growth if it exists. However, feedthrough may be substantially reduced if there are magnetic fields on both sides of the slab, and if the MRT mode invokes bending of the magnetic field lines.

• OSTI ID: 21554527
• Journal Information: Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics (Print), Vol. 83, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.83.066405; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1539-3755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
ANISOTROPY
BENDING
CHANDRASEKHAR THEORY
INTERFACES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS
RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY
SLABS
DEFORMATION
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
MECHANICS