Theoretical and numerical study of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in magnetized plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrei, A. Ivanov

2001-06-01

In this thesis we're studying both the general case of the 'classic' Rayleigh-Taylor instability (in incompressible fluids) and more specific cases of the instabilities of Rayleigh-Taylor type in magnetized plasmas, in the liners or wire array implosions etc. We have studied the influence of the Hall diffusion of magnetic field on the growth rate of the instability. We have obtained in this work a self-similar solution for the widening of the initial profile of the magnetic field and for the wave of the penetration of magnetic field. After that the subsequent evolution of the magnetic field in plasma opening switches (POS) has been examined. We have shown the possibility of the existence of a strong rarefaction wave for collisional and non-collisional cases. This wave can explain the phenomenon of the opening of POS. The effect of the suppression of Rayleigh-Taylor instability by forced oscillations of the boundary between two fluids permits us to propose some ideas for the experiments of inertial fusion. We have considered the general case of the instability, in other words - two incompressible viscous superposed fluids in a gravitational field. We have obtained an exact analytical expression for the growth rate and then we have analyzed the influence of the parameters of external 'pumping' on the instability. These results can be applied to a wide range of systems, starting from classic hydrodynamics and up to astrophysical plasmas. The scheme of wire arrays has become recently a very popular method to obtain a high power X-radiation or for a high quality implosion in Z-pinches. The experimental studies have demonstrated that the results of implosion are much better for the case of multiple thin wires situated cylindrically than in a usual liner scheme. We have examined the problem modeling the stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability for a wire array system. The reason for instability suppression is the regular spatial modulation of the surface plasma

Influence of velocity shear on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1982-01-01

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

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an equal mass plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adak, Ashish, E-mail: ashish-adak@yahoo.com [Department of Instrumentation Science, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Ghosh, Samiran, E-mail: sran-g@yahoo.com [Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Calcutta 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata 700 009 (India); Chakrabarti, Nikhil, E-mail: nikhil.chakrabarti@saha.ac.in [Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700 064 (India)

2014-09-15

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in an inhomogeneous pair-ion plasma has been analyzed. Considering two fluid model for two species of ions (positive and negative), we obtain the possibility of the existence of RT instability. The growth rate of the RT instability as usual depends on gravity and density gradient scale length. The results are discussed in context of pair-ion plasma experiments.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in multi-structured spherical targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, N.K.; Lawande, S.V.

1986-01-01

An eigenvalue equation for the exponential growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is derived in spherical geometry. The free surface and jump boundary conditions are obtained from the eigenvalue equation. The eigenvalue equation is solved in the cases where the initial fluid density profile has a step function or exponential variation in space and analytical formulae for growth rate of the instability are obtained. The solutions for the step function are generalized for any number N of spherical zones forming an arbitrary fluid density profile. The results of the numerical calculations for N spherical zones are compared with the exact analytical results for exponential fluid density profile with N=10 and a good agreement is observed. The formalism is further used to study the effects of density gradients on Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry. Also analytical formulae are presented for a particular case of N=3 and shell targets. The formalism developed here can be used to study the growth of the instability in present day multi-structured shell targets. (author)

Nonlinear interaction of Rayleigh--Taylor and shear instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finn, J.M.

1993-01-01

Results on the nonlinear behavior of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability and consequent development of shear flow by the shear instability [Phys. Fluids B 4, 488 (1992)] are presented. It is found that the shear flow is generated at sufficient amplitude to reduce greatly the convective transport. For high viscosity, the time-asymptotic state consists of an equilibrium with shear flow and vortex flow (with islands, or ''cat's eyes''), or a relaxation oscillation involving an interplay between the shear instability and the Rayleigh--Taylor instability in the presence of shear. For low viscosity, the dominant feature is a high-frequency nonlinear standing wave consisting of convective vortices localized near the top and bottom boundaries. The localization of these vortices is due to the smaller shear near the boundary regions. The convective transport is largest around these convective vortices near the boundary and there is a region of good confinement near the center. The possible relevance of this behavior to the H mode and edge-localized modes (ELM's) in the tokamak edge region is discussed

Analytical and numerical analysis of finite amplitude Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meiron, D.I.; Saffman, P.G.

1987-01-01

We summarize the results obtained in the last year. These include a simple model of bubble competition in Rayleigh-Taylor unstable flows which gives results which are in good agreement with experiment. In addition the model has been compared with two dimensional numerical simulations of inviscid Rayleigh-Taylor instability using the cloud-in-cell method. These simulations can now be run into the late time regime and can track the competition of as many as ten bubbles. The improvement in performance over previous applications of the cloud-in-cell approach is due to the application of finite difference techniques designed to handle shock-like structures in the vorticity of the interface which occur at late times. We propose to extend the research carried thus far to Rayleigh-Taylor problems in three dimensional and convergent geometries as well as to two-fluid instabilities in which interface roll-up is observed. Finally we present a budget for the fiscal year 1987-1988. 6 refs

Theoretical and numerical study of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in magnetized plasmas; Etude theorique et numerique des instabilites rayleigh-taylor en plasmas magnetises

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrei, A. Ivanov

2001-06-15

In this thesis we're studying both the general case of the 'classic' Rayleigh-Taylor instability (in incompressible fluids) and more specific cases of the instabilities of Rayleigh-Taylor type in magnetized plasmas, in the liners or wire array implosions etc. We have studied the influence of the Hall diffusion of magnetic field on the growth rate of the instability. We have obtained in this work a self-similar solution for the widening of the initial profile of the magnetic field and for the wave of the penetration of magnetic field. After that the subsequent evolution of the magnetic field in plasma opening switches (POS) has been examined. We have shown the possibility of the existence of a strong rarefaction wave for collisional and non-collisional cases. This wave can explain the phenomenon of the opening of POS. The effect of the suppression of Rayleigh-Taylor instability by forced oscillations of the boundary between two fluids permits us to propose some ideas for the experiments of inertial fusion. We have considered the general case of the instability, in other words - two incompressible viscous superposed fluids in a gravitational field. We have obtained an exact analytical expression for the growth rate and then we have analyzed the influence of the parameters of external 'pumping' on the instability. These results can be applied to a wide range of systems, starting from classic hydrodynamics and up to astrophysical plasmas. The scheme of wire arrays has become recently a very popular method to obtain a high power X-radiation or for a high quality implosion in Z-pinches. The experimental studies have demonstrated that the results of implosion are much better for the case of multiple thin wires situated cylindrically than in a usual liner scheme. We have examined the problem modeling the stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability for a wire array system. The reason for instability suppression is the regular spatial modulation of

Stability of an expanding cylindrical plasma envelope: Rayleigh--Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, S.J.

1982-01-01

The stability of a cylindrically symmetric plasma envelope driven outward by blast waves is considered. The plasma fluid is assumed to be a compressible, isentropic gas describable as an ideal gas ( p = arho/sup γ/, γ>1). The stability problem of such an envelope undergoing self-similar motion is solved by considering the initial-value problem. It is shown that in the early phase of an expansion, the envelope is unstable to Rayleigh--Taylor modes which develop at the inner surface. In the later phase of the expansion, the Rayleigh--Taylor modes are weakened due to the geometrical divergence effect. The implications of the time-dependent behavior of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability for plasma switches are discussed

Effect of magnetic field on Rayleigh-Taylor instability of two superposed fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, P K; Tiwari, Anita; Chhajlani, R K

2012-01-01

The effect of two dimensional magnetic field on the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability in an incompressible plasma is investigated to include simultaneously the effects of suspended particles and the porosity of the medium. The relevant linearized perturbation equations have been solved. The explicit expression of the linear growth rate is obtained in the presence of fixed boundary conditions. A stability criterion for the medium is derived and discussed the Rayleigh Taylor instabilities in different configurations. It is found that the basic Rayleigh-Taylor instability condition is modified by the presence of magnetic field, suspended particles and porosity of the medium. In case of an unstable R-T configuration, the magnetic field has a stabilizing effect on the system. It is also found that the growth rate of an unstable R-T mode decreases with increasing relaxation frequency thereby showing a stabilizing influence on the R-T configuration.

Effects of thermal conduction and compressibility on Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takabe, Hideaki; Mima, Kunioki.

1980-01-01

In order to study the stability of the ablation front in laser driven implosion, the thermal conduction and compressibility effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability are considered. It is found that the thermal conduction effect cannot stabilize the Rayleigh-Taylor mode, but reduce the growth rate in the short wavelength case. But, the growth rate is found not to differ from the classical value √gk in the long wavelength limit, where the compressibility is essential. (author)

Predictability of Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viecelli, J.A.

1986-01-01

Numerical experiments modeling the Rayleigh Taylor instability are carried out using a two-dimensional incompressible Eulerian hydrodynamic code VFTS. The method of integrating the Navier-Stokes equations including the viscous terms is similar to that described in Kim and Moin, except that Lagrange particles have been added and provision for body forces is given. The Eulerian method is 2nd order accurate in both space and time, and the Poisson equation for the effective pressure field is solved exactly at each time step using a cyclic reduction method. 3 refs., 3 figs

Effect of magnetic field on the Rayleigh Taylor instability of rotating and stratified plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, PK; Tiwari, Anita; Argal, Shraddha

2017-01-01

In the present study the effect of magnetic field and rotation have been carried out on the Rayleigh Taylor instability of conducting and rotating plasma, which is assumed to be incompressible and confined between two rigid planes z = 0 and z = h. The dispersion relation of the problem is obtained by solving the basic MHD equations of the problem with the help normal mode technique and appropriate boundary conditions. The dispersion relation of the medium is analysed and the effect of magnetic field and angular velocity (rotation effect) have been examined on the growth rate of Rayleigh Taylor instability. It is found that the magnetic field and angular velocity (rotation effect) have stabilizing influence on the Rayleigh Taylor instability. (paper)

Three-dimensional single-mode nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, R.; Aluie, H.; Betti, R.; Sanz, J.; Liu, B.; Frank, A.

2016-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of the single-mode ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability is studied in three dimensions. As the mode wavelength approaches the cutoff of the linear spectrum (short-wavelength modes), it is found that the three-dimensional (3D) terminal bubble velocity greatly exceeds both the two-dimensional (2D) value and the classical 3D bubble velocity. Unlike in 2D, the 3D short-wavelength bubble velocity does not saturate. The growing 3D bubble acceleration is driven by the unbounded accumulation of vorticity inside the bubble. The vorticity is transferred by mass ablation from the Rayleigh-Taylor spikes to the ablated plasma filling the bubble volume

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a visco-plastic fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demianov, A Yu; Doludenko, A N; Son, E E; Inogamov, N A

2010-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities of a visco-plastic fluid are discussed. The Bingham model is used as an effective rheological model which takes into account plastic effects. For the purposes of numerical simulation a one-mode disturbance of the contact surface between two fluids is considered. The main goal of this work is to construct numerical 2D and 3D models and to obtain the relationship between yield stress and the development of instability.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a visco-plastic fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Demianov, A. Yu; Doludenko, A. N.; Inogamov, N. A.; Son, E. E.

2010-12-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities of a visco-plastic fluid are discussed. The Bingham model is used as an effective rheological model which takes into account plastic effects. For the purposes of numerical simulation a one-mode disturbance of the contact surface between two fluids is considered. The main goal of this work is to construct numerical 2D and 3D models and to obtain the relationship between yield stress and the development of instability.

Development of Rayleigh-Taylor and bulk convection instabilities in the dynamics of plasma liners and pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bud'ko, A.B.; Velikovich, A.L.; Liberman, M.A.; Felber, F.S.

1989-01-01

A solution is derived for the problem of the initial, linear stage of the growth of small perturbations in the course of the cylindrically symmetric compression and expansion of a plasma liner and a Z-pinch with a sharp boundary. In these systems, Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities localized near the plasma boundaries are the most dangerous. Bulk convective instabilities develop in addition to these Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. The various instability modes, including local and global Rayleigh-Taylor modes, which grown in an accelerated plasma with distributed profiles of hydrodynamic variables, are classified. The spectra of the instability growth rates are calculated for plasma liners and Z-pinches. The shape of these spectra reveals an explanation of the stratification and filamentation of the plasma observed experimentally in pinches and liners. The imposition of a longitudinal magnetic field gives rise to a stability window in the space of the flow parameters. In this window, the Rayleigh-Taylor modes are suppressed completely by magnetic shear, while the bulk convective modes are suppressed to a significant extent

Surfactants and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of Couette type flows

Science.gov (United States)

Frenkel, A. L.; Halpern, D.; Schweiger, A. S.

2011-11-01

We study the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of slow Couette- type flows in the presence of insoluble surfactants. It is known that with zero gravity, the surfactant makes the flow unstable to longwave disturbances in certain regions of the parameter space; while in other parametric regions, it reinforces the flow stability (Frenkel and Halpern 2002). Here, we show that in the latter parametric sectors, and when the (gravity) Bond number Bo is below a certain threshold value, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is completely stabilized for a finite interval of Ma, the (surfactant) Marangoni number: MaL Ma2. For Ma Ma2, and also for MaL Ma2 as functions of the Bond number. We note that (for an interval of the Bond number) there are two distinct criticalities with nonzero (and distinct) critical wavenumbers.

LASNEX simulations of the classical and laser-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikaelian, K.O.

1990-01-01

We present the results of two-dimensional LASNEX simulations of the classical and laser-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Our growth rates and eigenmodes for classical two- and three-fluid problems agree closely with the exact analytic expressions. We illustrate in several examples how perturbations feed through from one interface to another. For targets driven by a 1/4-μm laser at I=2x10 14 W/cm 2 our growth rates are 40--80 % of the classical case rates for wavelengths between 5 and 100 μm. We find that radiation transport has a stabilizing effect on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, particularly at high intensities. A brief comparison with a laser-driven experiment is also presented

Coherent structures in ablatively compressed ICF targets and Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, H.C.; Desai, T.

1996-01-01

One of the major issues in laser induced inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is a stable ablative compression of spherical fusion pellets. The main impediment in achievement of this objective is Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the pellet's ablation front. Under sufficiently high acceleration this instability can grow out of noise. However, it can also arise either due to non-uniform laser intensity distribution over the pellet surface or due to pellet wall areal mass irregularity. Coherent structures in the dense target behind the ablation front can be effectively utilised for stabilisation of the Rayleigh-Taylor phenomenon. Such coherent structures in the form of a super lattice can be created by doping the pellet pusher with high atomic number (Z) micro particles. A compressed-cool pusher under laser irradiation behaves like a strongly correlated non ideal plasma when compressed to sufficiently high density such that the non ideality parameter exceeds unity. Moreover, the nonideality parameter for high Z microinclusions may exceed a critical value of 180 and as a consequence they remain in the form of intact clusters, maintaining the superlattice intact during ablative acceleration. Micro-hetrogeneity and its superlattice plays an important role in stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability, through a variety of mechanisms. (orig.)

Nonlinear saturation of the Rayleigh Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, A.; Mahajan, S.; Kaw, P.; Sen, A.; Benkadda, S.; Verga, A.

1997-01-01

The problem of the nonlinear saturation of the 2 dimensional Rayleigh Taylor instability is re-examined to put various earlier results in a proper perspective. The existence of a variety of final states can be attributed to the differences in the choice of boundary conditions and initial conditions in earlier numerical modeling studies. Our own numerical simulations indicate that the RT instability saturates by the self consistent generation of shear flow even in situations (with periodic boundaries) where, in principle, an infinite amount of gravitational energy can be tapped. Such final states can be achieved for suitable values of the Prandtl number. (author)

The Magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Astrophysical Discs

Science.gov (United States)

Contopoulos, I.; Kazanas, D.; Papadopoulos, D. B.

2016-01-01

This is our first study of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the inner edge of an astrophysical disc around a central back hole. We derive the equations governing small-amplitude oscillations in general relativistic ideal magnetodydrodynamics and obtain a criterion for the onset of the instability. We suggest that static disc configurations where magnetic field is held by the disc material are unstable around a Schwarzschild black hole. On the other hand, we find that such configurations are stabilized by the space-time rotation around a Kerr black hole. We obtain a crude estimate of the maximum amount of poloidal magnetic flux that can be accumulated around the centre, and suggest that it is proportional to the black hole spin. Finally, we discuss the astrophysical implications of our result for the theoretical and observational estimations of the black hole jet power.

Rayleigh-Taylor mixing in supernova experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swisher, N. C.; Abarzhi, S. I.; Kuranz, C. C.; Arnett, D.; Hurricane, O.; Remington, B. A.; Robey, H. F.

2015-01-01

We report a scrupulous analysis of data in supernova experiments that are conducted at high power laser facilities in order to study core-collapse supernova SN1987A. Parameters of the experimental system are properly scaled to investigate the interaction of a blast-wave with helium-hydrogen interface, and the induced Rayleigh-Taylor instability and Rayleigh-Taylor mixing of the denser and lighter fluids with time-dependent acceleration. We analyze all available experimental images of the Rayleigh-Taylor flow in supernova experiments and measure delicate features of the interfacial dynamics. A new scaling is identified for calibration of experimental data to enable their accurate analysis and comparisons. By properly accounting for the imprint of the experimental conditions, the data set size and statistics are substantially increased. New theoretical solutions are reported to describe asymptotic dynamics of Rayleigh-Taylor flow with time-dependent acceleration by applying theoretical analysis that considers symmetries and momentum transport. Good qualitative and quantitative agreement is achieved of the experimental data with the theory and simulations. Our study indicates that in supernova experiments Rayleigh-Taylor flow is in the mixing regime, the interface amplitude contributes substantially to the characteristic length scale for energy dissipation; Rayleigh-Taylor mixing keeps order

Effect of magnetic field on Rayleigh-Taylor instability of quantum and stratified plasma in porous medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, P.K.; Tiwari, Anita; Argal, Shraddha; Chhajlani, R.K.

2013-01-01

This paper is devoted to an investigation of Quantum effects and magnetic field effects on the Rayleigh Taylor instability of two superposed incompressible fluids in bounded porous medium. The Quantum magneto hydrodynamic equations are solved by using normal mode method and a dispersion relation is obtained. The dispersion relation is derived for the case where plasma is bounded by two rigid planes z = 0 and z = h. The Rayleigh Taylor instability growth rate and stability condition of the medium is discussed in the presence of quantum effect, magnetic field, porosity and permeability. It is found that the magnetic field and medium porosity have stabilizing influence while permeability has destabilizing influence on the Rayleigh Taylor instability. (author)

A numerical study of three-dimensional bubble merger in the Rayleigh endash Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X.L.

1996-01-01

The Rayleigh endash Taylor instability arises when a heavy fluid adjacent to a light fluid is accelerated in a direction against the density gradient. Under this unstable configuration, a perturbation mode of small amplitude grows into bubbles of the light fluid and spikes of the heavy fluid. Taylor discovered the steady state motion with constant velocity for a single bubble or periodic bubbles in the Rayleigh endash Taylor instability. Read and Youngs studied the motion of a randomly perturbed fluid interface in the Rayleigh endash Taylor instability. They reported constant acceleration for the overall bubble envelope. Bubble merger is believed to cause the transition from constant velocity to constant acceleration. In this paper, we present a numerical study of this important physical phenomenon. It analyzes the physical process of bubble merger and the relationship between the horizontal bubble expansion and the vertical interface acceleration. A dynamic bubble velocity, beyond Taylor close-quote s steady state value, is observed during the merger process. It is believed that this velocity is due to the superposition of the bubble velocity with a secondary subharmonic unstable mode. The numerical results are compared with experiments. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Direct numerical simulations of type Ia supernovae flames II: The Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, J.B.; Day, M.S.; Rendleman, C.A.; Woosley, S.E.; Zingale, M.

2004-01-01

A Type Ia supernova explosion likely begins as a nuclear runaway near the center of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf. The outward propagating flame is unstable to the Landau-Darrieus, Rayleigh-Taylor, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, which serve to accelerate it to a large fraction of the speed of sound. We investigate the Rayleigh-Taylor unstable flame at the transition from the flamelet regime to the distributed-burning regime, around densities of 10e7 gm/cc, through detailed, fully resolved simulations. A low Mach number, adaptive mesh hydrodynamics code is used to achieve the necessary resolution and long time scales. As the density is varied, we see a fundamental change in the character of the burning--at the low end of the density range the Rayleigh-Taylor instability dominates the burning, whereas at the high end the burning suppresses the instability. In all cases, significant acceleration of the flame is observed, limited only by the size of the domain we are able to study. We discuss the implications of these results on the potential for a deflagration to detonation transition

Search for Rayleigh-Taylor instability in laser irradiated layered thin foil targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilkenny, J.D.; Hares, J.D.; Rumsby, P.T.

1980-01-01

An experiment to measure the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the vacuum-ablation surface of laser irradiated layered targets by time resolved x-ray spectroscopy is described. The time taken to burn through a layer of material is measured to be the same for massive targets as for thin foil accelerating targets. It is inferred that the thin foil targets might be Rayleigh-Taylor stable despite the values of γtauapproximately equal to15 calculated from classical theory. (author)

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in accelerated elastic-solid slabs

Science.gov (United States)

Piriz, S. A.; Piriz, A. R.; Tahir, N. A.

2017-12-01

We develop the linear theory for the asymptotic growth of the incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability of an accelerated solid slab of density ρ2, shear modulus G , and thickness h , placed over a semi-infinite ideal fluid of density ρ110.1007/s000330050121] to arbitrary values of AT and unveil the singular feature of an instability threshold below which the slab is stable for any perturbation wavelength. As a consequence, an accelerated elastic-solid slab is stable if ρ2g h /G ≤2 (1 -AT) /AT .

The mitigation effect of sheared axial flow on the rayleigh-taylor instability in Z-pinch plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yang

2005-01-01

A magnetohydrodynamic formulation is derived to investigate the mitigation effects of the sheared axial flow on the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in Z-pinch plasma. The dispersion relation of the compressible model is given. The mitigation effects of sheared axial flow on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of Z-pinch plasma in the compressible and incompressible models are compared respectively, and the effect of compressible on the instability of system with sheared axial flow is discussed. It is found that, compressibility effects can stabilize the Rayleigh-Taylor/Kelvin-Helmholtz (RT/KH) instability, and this allows the sheared axial flow mitigate the RT instability far more effectively. The authors also find that, at the early stage of the implosion, if the temperature of the plasma is not very high, the compressible model is much more suitable to describing the state of system than the incompressible one. (author)

Effect of viscosity and surface tension on the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor instability and Richtmyer-Meshkov instability under nonlinear domain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahul Banerjee; Khan, M.; Mandal, L.K.; Roy, S.; Gupta, M.R.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability and Richtmyer-Meshkov (R-M) instability are well known problems in the formation of some astrophysical structures such as the supernova remnants in the Eagle and Crab nebula. A core collapse supernova is driven by an externally powerful shock, and strong shocks are the breeding ground of hydrodynamic instability such as Rayleigh-Taylor instability or Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. These instabilities are also important issues in the design of targets for inertial confinement fusion (ICF). In an ICF target, a high density fluid is frequently accelerated by the pressure of a low density fluid and after ablation the density quickly decays. So, small ripples at such an interface will grow. Under potential flow model, the perturbed interface between heavier fluid and lighter fluid form bubble and spike like structures. The bubbles are in the form of columns of lighter fluid interleaved by falling spike of heavy fluid. In this paper, we like to presented the effect of viscosity and surface tension on Rayleigh-Taylor instability and Richtmyer-Meshkov instability under the non-linear Layzer's approach and described the displacement curvature, growth and velocity of the tip of the bubble as well as spike. It is seen that, in absence of surface tension the lowering of the asymptotic velocity of the tip of the bubble which is formed when the lighter fluid penetrates into the denser fluid and thus encounters the viscous drag due to the denser fluid, which depends only on the denser fluid's viscosity coefficient. On the other hand the asymptotic velocity of the tip of the spike formed as the denser fluid penetrates into the lighter fluid is reduced by an amount which depends only on the viscosity coefficient of the lighter fluid and the spike is resisted by the viscous drag due to the lighter fluid. However, in presence of surface tension the asymptotic velocity of the tip of the bubble (spike) and

Shear flow stabilization of the hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roderick, N.F.; Shumlak, U.; Douglas, M.; Peterkin, R.E. Jr.; Ruden, E.

1997-01-01

Numerical simulations have indicated that shear flow may help stabilize the hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in imploding plasma z-pinches. A simple extension to a model presented in Chandrasekhar has been developed to study the linear stability of incompressible plasma subjected to both a shear flow and acceleration. The model has been used to investigate the stability plasma implosion schemes using externally imposed velocity shear which develops from the plasma flow itself. Specific parameters were chosen to represent plasma implosions driven by the Saturn and PBFA-Z, pulsed power generators at Sandia National Laboratories. Results indicate a high shear is necessary to stabilize the z-pinch implosions studied

Method of generalized coordinates and an application to Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dienes, J.K.

1978-01-01

The method of generalized coordinates is extended to the analysis of continuous bodies for which the degrees of freedom are independent velocity distributions in the spatial coordinates. The corresponding Lagrange equations contain generalized convective terms as well as the usual generalized forces and masses. Since the existence of a potential is not assumed, the equations of motion can be applied to media with arbitrary (possible dissipative) constitutive laws. Material deformation is characterized by the rate of strain, which is taken as the symmetric part of the velocity gradient, making the approach valid for arbitrarily large deformations. As an example, infinitesimal Rayleigh-Taylor instability is considered by analytic methods. Then, large amplitude Rayleigh-Taylor instability is represented with a single-degree-of-freedom analysis that shows the development (by numerical integration) of the known spike-and-bubble configuration of the unstable interface. The infinitesimal stability of a plastically deforming solid and the growth of the instability to large amplitudes are also considered

Hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in cylindrical implosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, C.S.; Roderick, N.F.; Wu, M.W.

1986-01-01

Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in the (r,Θ) plane has been solved by the variational approach. Results are compared to the analytical solutions of two-region and three-region problems at the infinite radius. They show the magnetic stabilization effect. Growth rates in this plane are decreased by the effects of plasma shell thickness, plasma shell radius, magnetic tension, magnetic diffusion and finite density gradient of the plasma magnetic field interface. The most unstable mode number decreases when the radius of the plasma shell decreases

On stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for the imploding liner on account of ion-ion collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordeev, Alexander V.

2002-01-01

The stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for the imploding cylindrical liner in the limit of a low plasma density Π ω pi 2 δ2/c2 << 1 (δ -- the characteristic size of the current layer) is investigated, when the electron currents are much greater than the ion currents. The stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for the parameter diapason νii/ωBi < (Z2M/m)1/2 is considered, when the plasma dissipation connected with the ion-ion collisions considerably superior the usual dissipation due to the electron-ion collisions. For the electric conductivity, caused by the ion-ion collisions and resulted in the minimum value σ ∼ enc/B, the effect of the partial stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is demonstrated

RADIATIVE RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacquet, Emmanuel; Krumholz, Mark R.

2011-01-01

We perform analytic linear stability analyses of an interface separating two stratified media threaded by a radiation flux, a configuration relevant in several astrophysical contexts. We develop a general framework for analyzing such systems and obtain exact stability conditions in several limiting cases. In the optically thin, isothermal regime, where the discontinuity is chemical in nature (e.g., at the boundary of a radiation pressure-driven H II region), radiation acts as part of an effective gravitational field, and instability arises if the effective gravity per unit volume toward the interface overcomes that away from it. In the optically thick a diabaticregime where the total (gas plus radiation) specific entropy of a Lagrangian fluid element is conserved, for example at the edge of radiation pressure-driven bubble around a young massive star, we show that radiation acts like a modified equation of state and derive a generalized version of the classical Rayleigh-Taylor stability condition.

Study of three-dimensional Rayleigh--Taylor instability in compressible fluids through level set method and parallel computation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X.L.

1993-01-01

Computation of three-dimensional (3-D) Rayleigh--Taylor instability in compressible fluids is performed on a MIMD computer. A second-order TVD scheme is applied with a fully parallelized algorithm to the 3-D Euler equations. The computational program is implemented for a 3-D study of bubble evolution in the Rayleigh--Taylor instability with varying bubble aspect ratio and for large-scale simulation of a 3-D random fluid interface. The numerical solution is compared with the experimental results by Taylor

Suppression of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability due to self-radiation in a multiablation target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujioka, Shinsuke; Sunahara, Atsushi; Nishihara, Katsunobu; Johzaki, Tomoyuki; Shiraga, Hiroyuki; Shigemori, Keisuke; Nakai, Mitsuo; Ikegawa, Tadashi; Murakami, Masakatsu; Nagai, Keiji; Norimatsu, Takayoshi; Azechi, Hiroshi; Yamanaka, Tatsuhiko; Ohnishi, Naofumi

2004-01-01

A scheme to suppress the Rayleigh-Taylor instability has been investigated for a direct-drive inertial fusion target. In a high-Z doped-plastic target, two ablation surfaces are formed separately--one driven by thermal radiation and the other driven by electron conduction. The growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is significantly suppressed on the radiation-driven ablation surface inside the target due to the large ablation velocity and long density scale length. A significant reduction of the growth rate was observed in simulations and experiments using a brominated plastic target. A new direct-drive pellet was designed using this scheme

Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution in colliding-plasma-jet experiments with magnetic and viscous stabilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, Colin Stuart [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)

2015-01-15

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability causes mixing in plasmas throughout the universe, from micron-scale plasmas in inertial confinement fusion implosions to parsec-scale supernova remnants. The evolution of this interchange instability in a plasma is influenced by the presence of viscosity and magnetic fields, both of which have the potential to stabilize short-wavelength modes. Very few experimental observations of Rayleigh-Taylor growth in plasmas with stabilizing mechanisms are reported in the literature, and those that are reported are in sub-millimeter scale plasmas that are difficult to diagnose. Experimental observations in well-characterized plasmas are important for validation of computational models used to make design predictions for inertial confinement fusion efforts. This dissertation presents observations of instability growth during the interaction between a high Mach-number, initially un-magnetized plasma jet and a stagnated, magnetized plasma. A multi-frame fast camera captures Rayleigh-Taylor-instability growth while interferometry, spectroscopy, photodiode, and magnetic probe diagnostics are employed to estimate plasma parameters in the vicinity of the collision. As the instability grows, an evolution to longer mode wavelength is observed. Comparisons of experimental data with idealized magnetohydrodynamic simulations including a physical viscosity model suggest that the observed instability evolution is consistent with both magnetic and viscous stabilization. These data provide the opportunity to benchmark computational models used in astrophysics and fusion research.

Numerical simulation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in ablation driven systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdon, C.P.

1984-01-01

Two-dimensional numerical simulations of ablatively accelerated thin shells subject to Rayleigh-Taylor instability are presented. Results for both single wavelength and multiwavelength perturbations show that the nonlinear effects of the instability are evident mainly in the bubble rather than the spike. Approximate roles for predicting the dominant nonlinear mode-mode interactions, which limit shell performance, are also discussed. The work concludes with a discussion of recommendations for future work in this area

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a self-gravitating two-layer viscous sphere

Science.gov (United States)

Mondal, Puskar; Korenaga, Jun

2018-03-01

The dispersion relation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the spherical geometry is of profound importance in the context of the Earth's core formation. Here we present a complete derivation of this dispersion relation for a self-gravitating two-layer viscous sphere. Such relation is, however, obtained through the solution of a complex transcendental equation, and it is difficult to gain physical insights directly from the transcendental equation itself. We thus also derive an empirical formula to compute the growth rate, by combining the Monte Carlo sampling of the relevant model parameter space with linear regression. Our analysis indicates that the growth rate of Rayleigh-Taylor instability is most sensitive to the viscosity of inner layer in a physical setting that is most relevant to the core formation.

Statistical approach of weakly nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garnier, J.; Masse, L.

2005-01-01

A weakly nonlinear model is proposed for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in presence of ablation and thermal transport. The nonlinear effects for a single-mode disturbance are computed, included the nonlinear correction to the exponential growth of the fundamental modulation. Mode coupling in the spectrum of a multimode disturbance is thoroughly analyzed by a statistical approach. The exponential growth of the linear regime is shown to be reduced by the nonlinear mode coupling. The saturation amplitude is around 0.1λ for long wavelengths, but higher for short instable wavelengths in the ablative regime

Growth of Rayleigh-Taylor and bulk convective instabilities in dynamics of plasma liners and pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bud'ko, A.B.; Velikovich, A.L.; Liberman, M.A.; Felber, F.S.

1989-01-01

Perturbation growth is studied for the initial, linear stage of an instability development in the course of a cylindrically-symmetric compression and expansion of plasma liners and Z-pinches with a sharp boundary. The hydrodynamic instabilities are Rayleigh-Taylor and bulk convective ones, the former being the most dengerous. Classification of the instability modes developing in accelerated plasmas, inclusing the local and global Rayleigh-Taylor modes, is given. The spectra of the instability growth rates are calculated for plasma liners and Z-pinches. The properties of the spectra appear to explain the filamentation and stratification of plasmas observed in the experiments with liners and Z-pinches. An axial magnetic field is shown to create a window of stability in the space of the flow parameters, where th Rayleigh-Taylor modes are fully suppressed by the magnetic shear, and the bulk convective ones - to a considerable extent. The axial magnetic field required to stabilize the implosion of a liner is estimated as B z0 =(10-30 kG)I(MA)/R 0 (cm), where I is the average current, R 0 - the initial radius of the liner

Nonlinear spectrum of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in laser-accelerated planar plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keskinen, M. J.; Schmitt, A.

2007-01-01

A model for the nonlinear spectrum of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in laser-accelerated planar plasmas has been developed for a wide range of Froude numbers and scale sizes. It is found that the spectrum can be characterized by an inverse power law with spectral index of approximately 2 in the limit of small-wavenumber spectrum cutoffs and small-scale density gradient scale lengths. Comparison of the model spectrum with recent experimental observations is made with good agreement

Experiment of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a strongly non linear regime on the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casner, A.; Masse, L.; Liberatore, S.; Delorme, B.; Jacquet, L.; Loiseau, P.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Martinez, D.; Remington, B. A.

2012-01-01

As the control of the development of Rayleigh-Taylor-type hydrodynamic instabilities is crucial to achieve efficient implosions on the Laser Megajoule, and as the complexity of these instabilities requires an experimental validation of theoretical models and of the associated numerical simulations, the authors briefly present a proposition of experiments aimed at studying the strongly non linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). This should allow a regime of competition between bubbles to be achieved for the first time in direct attack. They evoke the first experiment performed in March 2013

Measurement of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in targets driven by optically smoothed laser beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desselberger, M.; Willi, O.; Savage, M.; Lamb, M.J.

1990-01-01

Growth rates of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability were measured in targets with imposed sinusoidal modulations irradiated by optically smoothed 0.53-μm laser beams. A hybrid optical smoothing technique utilizing induced-spatial-incoherence and random-phase-plate technology was used for the first time. The wave-number dependence and the nonlinear behavior of Rayleigh-Taylor growth were investigated by using targets with a range of modulation periodicities and depths. The results are compared to 2D hydrodynamic-code simulations

Kinetic simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagert, Irina; Bauer, Wolfgang; Colbry, Dirk; Howell, Jim; Staber, Alec; Strother, Terrance

2014-01-01

We report on an ongoing project to develop a large scale Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code. The code is primarily aimed towards applications in astrophysics such as simulations of core-collapse supernovae. It has been tested on shock wave phenomena in the continuum limit and for matter out of equilibrium. In the current work we focus on the study of fluid instabilities. Like shock waves these are routinely used as test-cases for hydrodynamic codes and are discussed to play an important role in the explosion mechanism of core-collapse supernovae. As a first test we study the evolution of a single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the interface of a light and a heavy fluid in the presence of a gravitational acceleration. To suppress small-wavelength instabilities caused by the irregularity in the separation layer we use a large particle mean free path. The latter leads to the development of a diffusion layer as particles propagate from one fluid into the other. For small amplitudes, when the instability is in the linear regime, we compare its position and shape to the analytic prediction. Despite the broadening of the fluid interface we see a good agreement with the analytic solution. At later times we observe the development of a mushroom like shape caused by secondary Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities as seen in hydrodynamic simulations and consistent with experimental observations.

Study of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the ablation front

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvatore, Patricia

2000-01-01

Inertial confinement fusion in indirect drive consists in irradiating with ultra powerful laser beams the internal wall of a heating cavity which contains a capsule enclosing the thermonuclear fuel. During laser-matter interaction, laser light is converted into x-rays onto the hohlraum walls. The x-rays capsule heating produces a matter expansion, this one induces a pressure accelerating the capsule wall which implodes and compresses the fuel. The limit between the expanded plasma and the accelerated one is named ablation front. A light fluid (the ablated plasma) accelerating a heavy one (the shell) seeds Rayleigh-Taylor instability. To perform experiments, we used the Phebus facility at Limeil-Valenton CEA (the most powerful laser in Europe). After frequency conversion, each laser beam can deliver onto a target an energy up to 3 kJ at 0.35μm wavelength. In the United States of America and in France, more powerful laser facilities are planned to deliver an energy about 1 MJ: the National Ignition Facility (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California) and the Laser MegaJoule (CEA, Bordeaux). Hydrodynamic instabilities take an important part in the definition of these facilities. Two main experiments were carried out on the Phebus laser. We studied the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the ablation front with a modulated CHBr plane target stuck on the gold hohlraum wall. During the september-october 1996 experiment, a x-ray device was used. We observed the temporal evolution of the target modulations by x-ray imaging cinematography which recorded face-on radiographs. The second experiment was performed with collaboration of the Imperial College of London. Two high spatial resolution devices (less than 5 μm) were used in order to study short wavelengths modulations. The first diagnostic recorded side-on observations of target acceleration, the second one was used to measure the instability growth with face-on radiography. We studied this growth in a modulation

Size invariance of the granular Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinningland, Jan Ludvig; Johnsen, Øistein; Flekkøy, Eirik G; Toussaint, Renaud; Måløy, Knut Jørgen

2010-04-01

The size scaling behavior of the granular Rayleigh-Taylor instability [J. L. Vinningland, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 048001 (2007)] is investigated experimentally, numerically, and theoretically. An upper layer of grains displaces a lower gap of air by organizing into dense fingers of falling grains separated by rising bubbles of air. The dependence of these structures on the system and grain sizes is investigated. A spatial measurement of the finger structures is obtained by the Fourier power spectrum of the wave number k. As the size of the grains increases the wave number decreases accordingly which leaves the dimensionless product of wave number and grain diameter, dk, invariant. A theoretical interpretation of the invariance, based on the scaling properties of the model equations, suggests a gradual breakdown of the invariance for grains smaller than approximately 70 microm or greater than approximately 570 microm in diameter.

Earth's core formation due to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ida, S.; Nakagawa, Y.; Nakazawa, K.

1987-01-01

A protoearth accretion stage configuration consisting of an undifferentiated solid core, an intermediate metal-melt layer, and an outer silicate-melt layer, is presently taken as the initial state in an investigation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability-induced core formation. The Ida et al. (to be published) quantitative results on the instability in a self-gravitating fluid sphere are used. The instability is found to occur through the translational mode on a time-scale of about 10 hr, in the case where the metal-melt layer is greater than about 1 km; this implies that the earth's core formed due to the undifferentiated solid core's translation upon the outer layer's melting. Differentiation would then have occurred in the late accretion stage. 17 references

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability in inertial fusion, astrophysical plasma and flames

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bychkov, V; Modestov, M; Akkerman, V; Eriksson, L-E

2007-01-01

Previous results are reviewed and new results are presented on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in inertial confined fusion, flames and supernovae including gravitational and thermonuclear explosion mechanisms. The instability couples micro-scale plasma effects to large-scale hydrodynamic phenomena. In inertial fusion the instability reduces target compression. In supernovae the instability produces large-scale convection, which determines the fate of the star. The instability is often accompanied by mass flux through the unstable interface, which may have either a stabilizing or a destabilizing influence. Destabilization happens due to the Darrieus-Landau instability of a deflagration front. Still, it is unclear whether the instabilities lead to well-organized large-scale structures (bubbles) or to relatively isotropic turbulence (mixing layer)

Mode coupling in nonlinear Rayleigh--Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ofer, D.; Shvarts, D.; Zinamon, Z.; Orszag, S.A.

1992-01-01

This paper studies the interaction of a small number of modes in the two-fluid Rayleigh--Taylor instability at relatively late stages of development, i.e., the nonlinear regime, using a two-dimensional hydrodynamic code incorporating a front-tracking scheme. It is found that the interaction of modes can greatly affect the amount of mixing and may even reduce the width of the mixing region. This interaction is both relatively long range in wave-number space and also acts in both directions, i.e., short wavelengths affect long wavelengths and vice versa. Three distinct stages of interaction have been identified, including substantial interaction among modes some of which may still be in their classical (single mode) ''linear'' phase

Self-consistent model of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability in ablatively accelerated laser plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bychkov, V.V.; Golberg, S.M.; Liberman, M.A.

1994-01-01

A self-consistent approach to the problem of the growth rate of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability in laser accelerated targets is developed. The analytical solution of the problem is obtained by solving the complete system of the hydrodynamical equations which include both thermal conductivity and energy release due to absorption of the laser light. The developed theory provides a rigorous justification for the supplementary boundary condition in the limiting case of the discontinuity model. An analysis of the suppression of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability by the ablation flow is done and it is found that there is a good agreement between the obtained solution and the approximate formula σ = 0.9√gk - 3u 1 k, where g is the acceleration, u 1 is the ablation velocity. This paper discusses different regimes of the ablative stabilization and compares them with previous analytical and numerical works

A line driven Rayleigh-Taylor-type instability in hot stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, G.D.; Hearn, A.G.

1978-01-01

The existence of a Rayleigh-Taylor-type instability in the atmosphere of hot stars, driven by the radiative force associated with impurity ion resonance lines, is demonstrated. In a hot star with an effective temperature of 50 000 K, the instability will grow exponentially with a time scale of approximately 50 s in the layers where the stellar wind velocity is 5% of the thermal velocity of the ion. As a result, radially symmetric stellar winds driven by resonance line radiative forces will break up in small horizontal scale lengths. The energy fed into the instability provides a possible source of mechanical heating in the atmosphere for a chromosphere or corona. (orig.) [de

Collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability and shear-flow in equatorial Spread-F plasma

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N. Chakrabarti

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Collisional Rayleigh-Taylor (RT instability is considered in the bottom side of the equatorial F-region. By a novel nonmodal calculation it is shown that for an applied shear flow in equilibrium, the growth of the instability is considerably reduced. Finite but small amounts of diffusion enhances the stabilization process. The results may be relevant to the observations of long-lived irregularities at the bottom-side of the F-layer.Key words. Ionosphere (ionospheric irregularities, equatorial ionosphere, plasma waves and instabilities

Ablative stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in regimes relevant to inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilkenny, J.D.

1994-01-01

As shown elsewhere an ablatively imploded shell is hydrodynamically unstable, the dominant instability being the well known Rayleigh-Taylor instability with growth rate γ = √Akg where k = 2π/λ is the wave number, g is the acceleration and A the Attwood number (ρ hi - ρ lo )/(ρ hi + ρ lo ) where ρ hi is the density of the heavier fluid and ρ lo is the density of the lighter fluid. A theoretical understanding of ablative stabilization has gradually evolved, confirmed over the last five years by experiments. The linear growth is very well understood with excellent agreement between experiment and simulation for planar geometry with wavelengths in the region of 30--100μm. There is an accurate, albeit phenomenological dispersion relation. The non-linear growth has been measured and agrees with calculations. In this lecture, the authors go into the fundamentals of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the experimental measurements that show it is stabilized sufficiently by ablation in regimes relevant to ICF

Energy balance in a Z pinch with suppressed Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Science.gov (United States)

Baksht, R. B.; Oreshkin, V. I.; Rousskikh, A. G.; Zhigalin, A. S.

2018-03-01

At present Z-pinch has evolved into a powerful plasma source of soft x-ray. This paper considers the energy balance in a radiating metallic gas-puff Z pinch. In this type of Z pinch, a power-law density distribution is realized, promoting suppression of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities that occur in the pinch plasma during compression. The energy coupled into the pinch plasma, is determined as the difference between the total energy delivered to the load from the generator and the magnetic energy of the load inductance. A calibrated voltage divider and a Rogowski coil were used to determine the coupled energy and the load inductance. Time-gated optical imaging of the pinch plasma showed its stable compression up to the stagnation phase. The pinch implosion was simulated using a 1D two-temperature radiative magnetohydrodynamic code. Comparison of the experimental and simulation results has shown that the simulation adequately describes the pinch dynamics for conditions in which RT instability is suppressed. It has been found that the proportion of the Ohmic heating in the energy balance of a Z pinch with suppressed RT instability is determined by Spitzer resistance and makes no more than ten percent.

Rayleigh-Taylor and wind-driven instabilities of the nighttime equatorial ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, Y.T.; Straus, J.M.

1979-01-01

We have made a thorough re-examination of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the nighttime equatorial ionosphere from approx.100 km to the bottomside F region. We have taken into account explicitly the following effects which have been ignored by other workers in various combinations: (1) The eastward drift of the ionosphere caused by the nighttime polarization electric field, (2) the eastward nighttime neutral wind, and (3) recombination in the F and E regions. We found that, well below the bottomside F region, the Rayleigh-Taylor mode can be unstable and is driven by an eastward neutral wind rather than by gravitational drift. Formation of ionospheric bubbles below the bottomside F region is consistent with the observation of lower ionospheric ions in F region ionospheric holes; furthermore, seasonal and shorter term variations in spread-F occurrence may be associated with variations in the neutral wind and polarization electric field

Breakup of an accelerated shell owing to Rayleigh--Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suydam, B.R.

1978-06-01

A simplified model for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of an accelerated shell is examined, and it is found that the most dangerous wavelength to be about that of the shell thickness. The shell material is assumed to be an inviscid, incompressible fluid. Effects of finite compressibility and of surface tension are found to be negligible, but the effects of viscosity are shown to be very large. The need for better knowledge of viscosity at high pressure is pointed out

Effect of resistivity on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an accelerated plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillo, J.L.; Huerta, M.A.

1993-01-01

We study the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in finite-conductivity accelerated plasma arcs of the type found in electromagnetic rail launchers. For a plasma of length l, acceleration a, and thermal speed v T we consider the case where v T 2 /al much-gt 1, which is valid when the projectile mass is large compared to the plasma mass. The conductivity σ enters via a magnetic Reynolds number R=σμ(al 3 ) 1/2 . The fourth-order mode equation is solved analytically using an asymptotic WKB expansion in 1/R. We find the first-order 1/R correction to the classical Rayleigh-Taylor dispersion relation for large wave number K but with K much-lt R 2 /l. The analytical results show good agreement with previous numerical calculations

Proton Beam Fast Ignition Fusion: Synergy of Weibel and Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Stefan, V. Alexander

2011-04-01

The proton beam generation and focusing in fast ignition inertial confinement fusion is studied. The spatial and energy spread of the proton beam generated in a laser-solid interaction is increased due to the synergy of Weibel and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. The focal spot radius can reach 100 μm, which is nearly an order of magnitude larger than the optimal value. The energy spread decreases the beam deposition energy in the focal spot. Under these conditions, ignition of a precompressed DT fuel is achieved with the beam powers much higher than the values presently in consideration. Work supported in part by NIKOLA TESLA Laboratories (Stefan University), La Jolla, CA.

A numerical and analytical investigation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a solid tungsten plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, A.C.; Swegle, J.W.

1987-07-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability response of an elastic-plastic tungsten plate is investigated by numerical experiments and an approximate modal analysis. The so-called ''minimum amplitude'' instability criteria derived from plasticity analyses is shown to be incomplete as a general indicator of instability or stability at very large driving pressures. Model equations are derived which are able to reproduce the basic qualitative features of the observed instability response given by the numerical calculations. 11 refs., 29 figs

Experimental investigation of turbulent mixing by Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youngs, D.L.

1992-01-01

A key feature of compressible turbulent mixing is the generation of vorticity via the ∇px ∇(1/ρ) term. This source of vorticity is also present in incompressible flows involving the mixing of fluids of different density, for example Rayleigh-Taylor unstable flows. This paper gives a summary of an experimental investigation of turbulent mixing at a plane boundary between two fluids, of densities ρ 1 , and ρ 2 . (ρ 1 > ρ 2 ) due to Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The two fluids are near incompressible and mixing occurs when an approximately constant acceleration, g, is applied normal to the interface with direction from fluid 2 to fluid 1. Full details of the experimental programme are given in a set of three reports. Some of the earlier experiments are also described by Read. Previous experimental work and much of the theoretical research has concentrated on studying the growth of the instability from a single wavelength perturbation rather than turbulent mixing. Notable exceptions are published in the Russian literature. A related process, turbulent mixing induced by the passage of shock waves though an interface between fluids of different density is described by Andronov et al. The major purpose of the experiments described here was to study the evolution of the instability from small random perturbations where it is found that large and larger structures appear as time proceeds. A novel technique was used to provide the desired acceleration. The two fluids were enclosed in a rectangular tank, the lighter fluid 2 initially resting on top of the denser fluid 1. One or more rocket motors were then used to drive the tank vertically downwards. The aim of the experimental programme is to provide data for the calibration of a turbulence model used to predict mixing in real situations

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability under electrical pulse discharge in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kononov, A.V.; Porytskyy, P.V.; Starchyk, P.D.; Voitenko, L.M.

1999-01-01

The development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is studied on the interface between both the plasma channel and liquid medium under an electrical pulse discharge in water.It is shown that,growth of the irregularities of the contact interface leads to the increasing of heat flux from the discharge channel due to the growth of an interfacial area and the incoming of water matter into a discharge channel.As a result of these processes the characteristics of the discharge may be strongly varied

The feed-out process: Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in thin, laser-driven foils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smitherman, D.P.

1998-04-01

Eight beams carrying a shaped pulse from the NOVA laser were focused into a hohlraum with a total energy of about 25 kJ. A planar foil was placed on the side of the hohlraum with perturbations facing away from the hohlraum. All perturbations were 4 {micro}m in amplitude and 50 {micro}m in wavelength. Three foils of pure aluminum were shot with thicknesses and pulse lengths respectively of 86 {micro}m and 2. 2 ns, 50 {micro}m and 4.5 ns, and 35 {micro}m with both 2.2 ns and 4. 5 ns pulses. Two composite foils constructed respectively of 32 and 84 {micro}m aluminum on the ablative side and 10 {micro}m beryllium on the cold surface were also shot using the 2.2 ns pulse. X-ray framing cameras recorded perturbation growth using both face- and side-on radiography. The LASNEX code was used to model the experiments. A shock wave interacted with the perturbation on the cold surface generating growth from a Richtmyer-Meshkov instability and a strong acoustic mode. The cold surface perturbation fed-out to the Rayleigh-Taylor unstable ablation surface, both by differential acceleration and interface coupling, where it grew. A density jump did not appear to have a large effect on feed-out from interface coupling. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability`s vortex pairs overtook and reversed the direction of flow of the Richtmyer-Meshkov vortices, resulting in the foil moving from a sinuous to a bubble and spike configuration. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability may have acted as an ablative instability on the hot surface, and as a classical instability on the cold surface, on which grew second and third order harmonics.

Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in targets accelerated by laser ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emery, M.H.; Gardner, J.H.; Boris, J.P.

1982-01-01

With use of the fast2d laser-shell model, the acceleration of a 20-μm-thick plastic foil up to 160 km/s has been simulated. It is possible to follow the Rayleigh-Taylor bubble-and-spike development far into the nonlinear regime and beyond the point of foil fragmentation. Strong shear flow develops which evolves into the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability causes the tips of the spikes to widen and as a result reduce their rate of ''fall.''

Numerical simulation of anisotropic preheating ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lifeng; Ye Wenhua; Li Yingjun

2010-01-01

The linear growth rate of the anisotropic preheating ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (ARTI) is studied by numerical simulations. The preheating model κ(T)=κ SH [1+f(T)] is applied, where f(T) is the preheating function interpreting the preheating tongue effect in the cold plasma ahead of the ablative front. An arbitrary coefficient D is introduced in the energy equation to study the influence of transverse thermal conductivity on the growth of the ARTI. We find that enhancing diffusion in a plane transverse to the mean longitudinal flow can strongly reduce the growth of the instability. Numerical simulations exhibit a significant stabilization of the ablation front by improving the transverse thermal conduction. Our results are in general agreement with the theory analysis and numerical simulations by Masse. (authors)

Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in indirect laser drive with rugby-shaped hohlraums

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casner, A.; Galmiche, D.; Huser, G.; Jadaud, J.P.; Richard, A.; Liberatore, S.; Vandenboomgaerde, M.

2009-01-01

The mastering of the development of hydrodynamic instabilities like Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities is an important milestone on the way to perform efficient laser implosions. The complexity of these instabilities implies an experimental validation of the theoretical models and their computer simulations. An experimental platform involving the Omega laser has allowed us to perform indirect drive with rugby-shaped hohlraums. The experiments have validated the growth of 2- and 3-dimensional initial defects as predicted by theory. We have shown that the 3-dimensional defect saturates for an higher amplitude than the 2-dimensional one does. The experiments have been made by using a plastic shell doped with Germanium (CH:Ge). (A.C.)

Cyclic and seasonal features in the behaviour of linear growth increment of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in equatorial F-region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farkullin, M.N.; Nikitin, M.A.; Kashchenko, N.M.

1989-01-01

Calculations of linear increment of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for various geophysical conditions are presented. It is shwn that space-time characteristics of increment depend strongly on conditions of solar activity and seasons. The calculation results are in a good agreement with statistical regularities of F-scattering observation in equatorial F-area, which points to the Rayleigh-Taylor natur of the penomena

On the ""early-time"" evolution of variables relevant to turbulence models for Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rollin, Bertrand [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Andrews, Malcolm J [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2010-01-01

We present our progress toward setting initial conditions in variable density turbulence models. In particular, we concentrate our efforts on the BHR turbulence model for turbulent Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Our approach is to predict profiles of relevant parameters before the fully turbulent regime and use them as initial conditions for the turbulence model. We use an idealized model of the mixing between two interpenetrating fluids to define the initial profiles for the turbulence model parameters. Velocities and volume fractions used in the idealized mixing model are obtained respectively from a set of ordinary differential equations modeling the growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and from an idealization of the density profile in the mixing layer. A comparison between predicted initial profiles for the turbulence model parameters and initial profiles of the parameters obtained from low Atwood number three dimensional simulations show reasonable agreement.

Stationary solution of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for spatially periodic flows: questions of uniqueness, dimensionality, and universality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abarzhi, S.I.

1996-01-01

The stationary solutions of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for spatially periodic flows with general symmetry are investigated here for the first time. The existence of a set of stationary solutions is established. The question of its dimensionality in function space is resolved on the basis of an analysis of the symmetry of the initial perturbation. The interrelationship between the dimensionality of the solution set and the symmetry of the flow is found. The dimensionality of the solution set is established for flows invariant with respect to one of five symmorphic two-dimensional groups. The nonuniversal character of the set of stationary solutions of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is demonstrated. For flows in a tube, on the contrary, universality of the solution set, along with its independence of the symmetry of the initial perturbation, is assumed. The problem of the free boundary in the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is solved in the first two approximations, and their convergence is investigated. The dependence of the velocity and Fourier harmonics on the parameters of the problem is found. Possible symmetry violations of the flow are analyzed. Limits to previously studied cases are investigated, and their accuracy is established. Questions of the stability of the solutions obtained and the possibility of a physically correct statement of the problem are discussed

Developpement of a numerical method for Navier-Stokes equations in anelastic approximation: application to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammouch, Z.

2012-01-01

The 'anelastic' approximation allows us to filter the acoustic waves thanks to an asymptotic development of the Navier-Stokes equations, so increasing the averaged time step, during the numerical simulation of hydrodynamic instabilities development. So, the anelastic equations for a two fluid mixture in case of Rayleigh-Taylor instability are established.The linear stability of Rayleigh-Taylor flow is studied, for the first time, for perfect fluids in the anelastic approximation. We define the Stokes problem resulting from Navier-Stokes equations without the non linear terms (a part of the buoyancy is considered); the ellipticity is demonstrated, the Eigenmodes and the invariance related to the pressure are detailed. The Uzawa's method is extended to the anelastic approximation and shows the decoupling speeds in 3D, the particular case k = 0 and the spurious modes of pressure. Passing to multi-domain allowed to establish the transmission conditions.The algorithms and the implementation in the existing program are validated by comparing the Uzawa's operator in Fortran and Mathematica languages, to an experiment with incompressible fluids and results from anelastic and compressible numerical simulations. The study of the influence of the initial stratification of both fluids on the development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is initiated. (author) [fr

Analysis of weakly nonlinear three-dimensional Rayleigh--Taylor instability growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunning, M.J.; Haan, S.W.

1995-01-01

Understanding the Rayleigh--Taylor instability, which develops at an interface where a low density fluid pushes and accelerates a higher density fluid, is important to the design, analysis, and ultimate performance of inertial confinement fusion targets. Existing experimental results measuring the growth of two-dimensional (2-D) perturbations (perturbations translationally invariant in one transverse direction) are adequately modeled using the 2-D hydrodynamic code LASNEX [G. B. Zimmerman and W. L. Kruer, Comments Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 11, 51 (1975)]. However, of ultimate interest is the growth of three-dimensional (3-D) perturbations such as those initiated by surface imperfections or illumination nonuniformities. Direct simulation of such 3-D experiments with all the significant physical processes included and with sufficient resolution is very difficult. This paper addresses how such experiments might be modeled. A model is considered that couples 2-D linear regime hydrodynamic code results with an analytic model to allow modeling of 3-D Rayleigh--Taylor growth through the linear regime and into the weakly nonlinear regime. The model is evaluated in 2-D by comparison with LASNEX results. Finally the model is applied to estimate the dynamics of a hypothetical 3-D foil

Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, Yue Ying; Gilgenbach, Ronald

2013-01-01

Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRT) is important to magnetized target fusion, wire-array z-pinches, and equation-of-state studies using flyer plates or isentropic compression. It is also important to the study of the crab nebula. The investigators performed MRT experiments on thin foils, driven by the mega-ampere linear transformer driver (LTD) facility completed in their laboratory. This is the first 1-MA LTD in the USA. Initial experiments on the seeding of MRT were performed. Also completed was an analytic study of MRT for a finite plasma slab with arbitrary magnetic fields tangential to the interfaces. The effects of magnetic shear and feedthrough were analyzed

Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lau, Yue Ying [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Gilgenbach, Ronald [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2013-07-07

Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRT) is important to magnetized target fusion, wire-array z-pinches, and equation-of-state studies using flyer plates or isentropic compression. It is also important to the study of the crab nebula. The investigators performed MRT experiments on thin foils, driven by the mega-ampere linear transformer driver (LTD) facility completed in their laboratory. This is the first 1-MA LTD in the USA. Initial experiments on the seeding of MRT were performed. Also completed was an analytic study of MRT for a finite plasma slab with arbitrary magnetic fields tangential to the interfaces. The effects of magnetic shear and feedthrough were analyzed.

Hydromagnetic Rayleigh endash Taylor instability in high-velocity gas-puff implosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roderick, N.F.; Peterkin, R.E. Jr.; Hussey, T.W.; Spielman, R.B.; Douglas, M.R.; Deeney, C.

1998-01-01

Experiments using the Saturn pulsed power generator have produced high-velocity z-pinch plasma implosions with velocities over 100 cm/μs using both annular and uniform-fill gas injection initial conditions. Both types of implosion show evidence of the hydromagnetic Rayleigh endash Taylor instability with the uniform-fill plasmas producing a more spatially uniform pinch. Two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations including unsteady flow of gas from a nozzle into the diode region have been used to investigate these implosions. The instability develops from the nonuniform gas flow field that forms as the gas expands from the injection nozzle. Instability growth is limited to the narrow unstable region of the current sheath. For the annular puff the unstable region breaks through the inner edge of the annulus increasing nonlinear growth as mass ejected from the bubble regions is not replenished by accretion. This higher growth leads to bubble thinning and disruption producing greater nonuniformity at pinch for the annular puff. The uniform puff provides gas to replenish bubble mass loss until just before pinch resulting in less bubble thinning and a more uniform pinch. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Three-dimensional, nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability of a thin layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manheimer, W.; Colombant, D.; Ott, E.

1984-01-01

A numerical simulation scheme is developed to examine the nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability of a thin sheet in three dimensions. It is shown that the erosion of mass at the top of the bubble is approximately as described by two-dimensional simulations. However, mass is lost into spikes more slowly in three-dimensional than in two-dimensional simulations

Strong stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability by material strength at Mbar pressures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, H S; Lorenz, K T; Cavallo, R M; Pollaine, S M; Prisbrey, S T; Rudd, R E; Becker, R C; Bernier, J V; Remington, B A

2009-11-19

Experimental results showing significant reductions from classical in the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth rate due to high pressure effective lattice viscosity are presented. Using a laser created ramped drive, vanadium samples are compressed and accelerated quasi-isentropically at {approx}1 Mbar pressures, while maintaining the sample in the solid-state. Comparisons with simulations and theory indicate that the high pressure, high strain rate conditions trigger a phonon drag mechanism, resulting in the observed high effective lattice viscosity and strong stabilization of the RT instability.

On the ""early-time"" evolution of variables relevant to turbulence models for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rollin, Bertrand [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Andrews, Malcolm J [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2010-01-01

We present our progress toward setting initial conditions in variable density turbulence models. In particular, we concentrate our efforts on the BHR turbulence model for turbulent Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Our approach is to predict profiles of relevant variables before fully turbulent regime and use them as initial conditions for the turbulence model. We use an idealized model of mixing between two interpenetrating fluids to define the initial profiles for the turbulence model variables. Velocities and volume fractions used in the idealized mixing model are obtained respectively from a set of ordinary differential equations modeling the growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and from an idealization of the density profile in the mixing layer. A comparison between predicted profiles for the turbulence model variables and profiles of the variables obtained from low Atwood number three dimensional simulations show reasonable agreement.

Model for the saturation of the hydromagnetic Rayleigh--Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roderick, N.F.; Hussey, T.W.

1984-01-01

The saturation of the hydromagnetic Rayleigh--Taylor instability is caused by the reduction of driving current in the bubble region between the spikes formed as the instability develops. For short wavelengths linear magnetic field diffusion provides the necessary smoothing of the magnetic field to reduce the driving force. For wavelengths longer than the magnetic field diffusion length, the current is shorted through material which expands into the bubble region. This initially low density accumulates in the bubble and eventually provides a source of sufficiently high conductivity plasma which reduces the magnetic field penetration to the front of the bubble. Simple analytic models have been developed to verify and and quantify these predictions. These models have been compared with two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic calculations for imploding plasma shells and give good agreement with these more detailed simulations

Investigation of the Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riccardo Bonazza

2006-01-01

The present research program is centered on the experimental and numerical study of two instabilities that develop at the interface between two different fluids when the interface experiences an impulsive or a constant acceleration. The instabilities, called the Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor instability, respectively (RMI and RTI), adversely affect target implosion in experiments aimed at the achievement of nuclear fusion by inertial confinement by causing the nuclear fuel contained in a target and the ablated shell material to mix, leading to contamination of the fuel, yield reduction or no ignition at all. Specifically, our work is articulated in three main directions: study of impulsively accelerated spherical gas inhomogeneities; study of impulsively accelerated 2-D interfaces; study of a liquid interface under the action of gravity. The objectives common to all three activities are to learn some physics directly from our experiments and calculations; and to develop a database at previously untested conditions to be used to calibrate and verify some of the computational tools being developed within the RTI/RMI community at the national laboratories and the ASCI centers

New mitigation schemes of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azechi, H.; Shiraga, H.; Nakai, M.; Shigemori, K.; Fujioka, S.; Sakaiya, T.; Tamari, Y.; Ohtani, K.; Watari, T.; Murakami, M.; Sunahara, A.; Nagatomo, H.; Nishihara, K.; Miyanaga, N.; Izawa, Y.; Ohnishi, N.

2005-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability with material ablation through the unstable interface is the key physics that determines success or failure of inertial fusion energy (IFE) generation, as the RT instability potentially quenches ignition and burn by disintegrating the IFE target. We present two suppression schemes of the RT growth without significant degradation of the target density. The first scheme is to generate double ablation structure in high-Z doped plastic targets. In addition to the electron ablation surface, a new ablation surface is created by x-ray radiation from the high-Z ions. Contrary to the previous thought, the electron ablation surface is almost completely stabilized by extremely high flow velocity. On the other hand, the RT instability on the radiative ablation surface is significantly moderated. The second is to enhance the nonlocal nature of the electron heat transport by illuminating the target with long wavelength laser light, whereas the high ablation pressure is generated by irradiating short wavelength laser light. The significant suppression of the RT instability may increase the possibility of impact ignition which uses a high velocity fuel colliding with a preformed main fuel. (author)

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a self-gravitating two-layer fluid sphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ida, Shigeru; Nakagawa, Yoshitsugu; Nakazawa, Kiyoshi

1989-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is studied in a self-gravitating two-layer fluid sphere: an inner sphere and an outer layer. The density and the viscosity are assumed to be constant in each region. Analytic expressions of the dispersion relations are obtained in inviscid and viscid cases. This examination aims at the investigation of the Earth's core formation. The fluid sphere corresponds to the proto-Earth in the accretion stage. The instability is examined without rotation of the fluid sphere, while the proto-Earth is rotating. However, it is shown that the Coriolis force does not influence the conclusion in the Earth's core formation problem. 5 refs.; 10 figs

Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in indirect laser drive with rugby-shaped hohlraums; Experiences d'instabilites Rayleigh-Taylor en attaque indirecte avec des cavites rugby

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casner, A.; Galmiche, D.; Huser, G.; Jadaud, J.P.; Richard, A.; Liberatore, S.; Vandenboomgaerde, M. [CEA Bruyeres-le-Chatel, 91 (France)

2009-07-01

The mastering of the development of hydrodynamic instabilities like Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities is an important milestone on the way to perform efficient laser implosions. The complexity of these instabilities implies an experimental validation of the theoretical models and their computer simulations. An experimental platform involving the Omega laser has allowed us to perform indirect drive with rugby-shaped hohlraums. The experiments have validated the growth of 2- and 3-dimensional initial defects as predicted by theory. We have shown that the 3-dimensional defect saturates for an higher amplitude than the 2-dimensional one does. The experiments have been made by using a plastic shell doped with Germanium (CH:Ge). (A.C.)

First observation of density profile in directly laser-driven polystyrene targets for ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujioka, Shinsuke; Shiraga, Hiroyuki; Nishikino, Masaharu; Shigemori, Keisuke; Sunahara, Atsushi; Nakai, Mitsuo; Azechi, Hiroshi; Nishihara, Katsunobu; Yamanaka, Tatsuhiko

2003-01-01

The temporal evolution of the density profile of a directly laser-driven polystyrene target was observed for the first time using an x-ray penumbral imaging technique coupled with side-on x-ray backlighting at the GEKKO XII [C. Yamanaka et al., IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-17, 1639 (1981)]-High Intensity Plasma Experimental Research laser facility (I L =0.7x10 14 W/cm 2 , λ L =0.35 μm). This density measurement makes it possible to experimentally confirm all physical parameters [γ(k),k,g,m,ρ a ,L m ] appearing in the modified Takabe formula for the growth rate of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The measured density profiles were well reproduced by a one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation code. The density measurement contributes toward fully understanding the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in compressible fluids: Final report for the period 1 October 1985-30 September 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sturtevant, B.

1986-01-01

The purpose of this research program is to investigate fluid dynamic instabilities and mixing initiated by the interaction of shock waves with interfaces between light and heavy gases. In particular, the nonlinear stage of shock-initiated Rayleigh-Taylor instability (also known as the Richtmeyer-Meshkov instability), the secondary instabilities (e.g., the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability) arising therefrom and the resulting mixing of the two gases are of interest. This report describes activities during the performance period 1 October 1985 to 30 September 1986

Rayleigh-Taylor Type Instabilities in the Reconnection Exhaust Jet as a Mechanism for Supra-arcade Downflows in the Sun

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, L.-J.; Huang, Y.-M.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Innes, D. E.

2014-12-01

Supra-arcade downflows (hereafter referred to as SADs) are low-emission, elongated, finger-like features observed in active region coronae above post-eruption flare arcades. Observations exhibit downward moving SADs intertwined with bright upward growing spikes. Whereas SADs are dark voids, spikes are brighter, denser structures. Although SADs have been observed for more than a decade, the mechanism of the formation of SADs remains an open issue. Using three-dimensional resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we demonstrate that Rayleigh-Taylor-type instabilities develop in the downstream region of a reconnecting current sheet. The instabilities result in the formation of low-density coherent structures that resemble SADs, and high-density structures that appear to be spike-like. Comparison between the simulation results and observations suggests that Rayleigh-Taylor-type instabilities in the exhaust of reconnecting current sheets provide a plausible mechanism for observed SADs.

Numerical simulation of Rayleigh-Taylor turbulent mixing layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poujade, O.; Lardjane, N.; Peybernes, M.; Boulet, M.

2009-01-01

Accelerations in actual Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities are often variable. This article focuses on a particular class of variable accelerations where g(t) ∝ t n . A reference database is built from high resolution hydrodynamic numerical simulations. The successful comparison with a simple OD analytical model and the statistical 2SFK (2-Structure, 2-Fluid, 2-Turbulence) turbulence model is provided. Moreover, we show the difference between the mechanism at play in the Rayleigh-Taylor turbulent mixing zone and Kolmogorov's in the self similar developed turbulent regime. (authors)

Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability driven by a rotating magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Shuchao; Xie, Weiping; Cao, Jintao; Li, Ding

2018-04-01

In this paper, we analyze theoretically the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability driven by a rotating magnetic field. Slab configurations of finite thickness are treated both with and without using the Wenzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation. Regardless of the slab thickness, the directional rotation of the driving magnetic field contributes to suppressing these instabilities. The two factors of the finite thickness and directional rotation of the magnetic field cooperate to enhance suppression, with the finite thickness playing a role only when the orientation of the magnetic field is time varying. The suppression becomes stronger as the driving magnetic field rotates faster, and all modes are suppressed, in contrast to the case of a non-rotating magnetic field, for which the vertical mode cannot be suppressed. This implies that the dynamically alternate configuration of a Theta-pinch and a Z-pinch may be applicable to the concept of Theta-Z liner inertial fusion.

Evidence for a bubble-competition regime in indirectly driven ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability experiments on the NIF.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, D A; Smalyuk, V A; Kane, J O; Casner, A; Liberatore, S; Masse, L P

2015-05-29

We investigate on the National Ignition Facility the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the transition from weakly nonlinear to highly nonlinear regimes. A planar plastic package with preimposed two-dimensional broadband modulations is accelerated for up to 12 ns by the x-ray drive of a gas-filled Au radiation cavity with a radiative temperature plateau at 175 eV. This extended tailored drive allows a distance traveled in excess of 1 mm for a 130  μm thick foil. Measurements of the modulation optical density performed by x-ray radiography show that a bubble-merger regime for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at an ablation front is achieved for the first time in indirect drive. The mutimode modulation amplitudes are in the nonlinear regime, grow beyond the Haan multimode saturation level, evolve toward the longer wavelengths, and show insensitivity to the initial conditions.

Preliminary report of numerical simulatons of intermediate wavelength collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability in equatorial spread F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1980-01-01

Computer simulations of the intermediate wavelength (100--1000 m) collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability in local unstable regions of the postsunset bottomside (300 km) equatorial F region ionosphere have been performed. For ambient electron density gradient scale lengths L=5, 10, 15 km we find that the linearly unstable horizontal 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(k/sub x/) proportional k/sub x//sup -n/ and vertical P(k/sub y/) proportional k/sub y//sup -n/ one-dimensional power spectra with n=2--2.5. These results are consistent both with in situ experimental data and with theoretical prediction

Growth rates of the ablative Rayleigh endash Taylor instability in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betti, R.; Goncharov, V.N.; McCrory, R.L.; Verdon, C.P.

1998-01-01

A simple procedure is developed to determine the Froude number Fr, the effective power index for thermal conduction ν, the ablation-front thickness L 0 , the ablation velocity V a , and the acceleration g of laser-accelerated ablation fronts. These parameters are determined by fitting the density and pressure profiles obtained from one-dimensional numerical simulations with the analytic isobaric profiles of Kull and Anisimov [Phys. Fluids 29, 2067 (1986)]. These quantities are then used to calculate the growth rate of the ablative Rayleigh endash Taylor instability using the theory developed by Goncharov et al. [Phys. Plasmas 3, 4665 (1996)]. The complicated expression of the growth rate (valid for arbitrary Froude numbers) derived by Goncharov et al. is simplified by using reasonably accurate fitting formulas. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clavin, P.; Almarcha, Ch.

2005-01-01

The instability of ablation fronts strongly accelerated toward the dense medium under the conditions of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is addressed in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio. The analysis serves to demonstrate that the flow is irrotational to first order, reducing the nonlinear analysis to solve a two-potential flows problem. Vorticity appears at the following orders in the perturbation analysis. This result simplifies greatly the analysis. The possibility for using boundary integral methods opens new perspectives in the nonlinear theory of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in ICF. A few examples are given at the end of the paper. (authors)

Observation of Rayleigh-Taylor-like structures in a laser-accelerated foil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitlock, R.R.; Emery, M.H.; Stamper, J.A.; McLean, E.A.; Obenschain, S.P.; Peckerar, M.C.

1984-01-01

Laser-accelerated targets have been predicted to be subject to the Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instability. The development of the instability was studied by introducing mass thickness variations in foil targets and observing the development of the target nonuniformities by side-on flash x radiography. Observations were made of target structures and mass redistribution effects which resemble Rayleigh-Taylor bubbles and spikes, including not only advanced broadening of the spike tips on the laser-irradiated side of the foil but also projections of mass on the unirradiated side. The observations compare well with numerical simulations

Linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an accelerated Newtonian fluid with finite width

Science.gov (United States)

Piriz, S. A.; Piriz, A. R.; Tahir, N. A.

2018-04-01

The linear theory of Rayleigh-Taylor instability is developed for the case of a viscous fluid layer accelerated by a semi-infinite viscous fluid, considering that the top interface is a free surface. Effects of the surface tensions at both interfaces are taken into account. When viscous effects dominate on surface tensions, an interplay of two mechanisms determines opposite behaviors of the instability growth rate with the thickness of the heavy layer for an Atwood number AT=1 and for sufficiently small values of AT. In the former case, viscosity is a less effective stabilizing mechanism for the thinnest layers. However, the finite thickness of the heavy layer enhances its viscous effects that, in general, prevail on the viscous effects of the semi-infinite medium.

Potential Flow Model for Compressible Stratified Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Science.gov (United States)

Rydquist, Grant; Reckinger, Scott; Owkes, Mark; Wieland, Scott

2017-11-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) is an instability that occurs when a heavy fluid lies on top of a lighter fluid in a gravitational field, or a gravity-like acceleration. It occurs in many fluid flows of a highly compressive nature. In this study potential flow analysis (PFA) is used to model the early stages of RTI growth for compressible fluids. In the localized region near the bubble tip, the effects of vorticity are negligible, so PFA is applicable, as opposed to later stages where the induced velocity due to vortices generated from the growth of the instability dominate the flow. The incompressible PFA is extended for compressibility effects by applying the growth rate and the associated perturbation spatial decay from compressible linear stability theory. The PFA model predicts theoretical values for a bubble terminal velocity for single-mode compressible RTI, dependent upon the Atwood (A) and Mach (M) numbers, which is a parameter that measures both the strength of the stratification and intrinsic compressibility. The theoretical bubble terminal velocities are compared against numerical simulations. The PFA model correctly predicts the M dependence at high A, but the model must be further extended to include additional physics to capture the behavior at low A. Undergraduate Scholars Program - Montana State University.

Development of Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the presence of magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Manoranjan; Mandal, Labakanta; Banerjee, Rahul; Roy, Sourav; Gupta, M.R.

2011-01-01

Fluid instabilities like Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T), Richtmyer-Meshkov (R-M) and Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability can occur in a wide range of physical phenomenon from astrophysical context to Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). Using Layzer's potential flow model, we derive the analytical expressions of growth rate of bubble and spike for ideal magnetized fluid in R-T and R-M cases. In the presence of transverse magnetic field, the R-M and R-T instabilities are suppressed or enhanced depending on the direction of magnetic pressure and hydrodynamic pressure. Again the interface of two fluid may oscillate if both the fluids are conducting. However, it is observed that the magnetic field has no effect in linear case.

Combined effect of viscosity and vorticity on single mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability bubble growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Rahul; Mandal, Labakanta; Roy, S.; Khan, M.; Gupta, M. R.

2011-01-01

The combined effect of viscosity and vorticity on the growth rate of the bubble associated with single mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated. It is shown that the effect of viscosity on the motion of the lighter fluid associated with vorticity accumulated inside the bubble due to mass ablation may be such as to reduce the net viscous drag on the bubble exerted by the upper heavier fluid as the former rises through it.

Spread F bubbles - Nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor mode in two dimensions

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, M. K.

1978-01-01

The paper discusses long-wavelength developed bottomside spread F which has been attributed to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The nonlinear saturation amplitude and the k spectrum of the inertia-dominated Rayleigh-Taylor instability is found in two directions: east-west and vertical. As in the collisional case (Chaturvedi and Ossakow, 1977), the dominant nonlinearity is found to be two-dimensional. It is found that the linearly most unstable modes, which are primarily horizontal, saturate by the nonlinear generation of vertical spatial harmonics. The harmonics are damped by diffusion or recombination. The resulting amplitude spectrum indicates that bubbles are vertically elongated in both inertial and collisional regimes.

Jet-like long spike in nonlinear evolution of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Wenhua; He Xiantu; Wang Lifeng

2010-01-01

We report the formation of jet-like long spike in the nonlinear evolution of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (ARTI) experiments by numerical simulations. A preheating model κ(T) = κ SH [1 + f(T)], where κ SH is the Spitzer-Haerm (SH) electron conductivity and f(T) interprets the preheating tongue effect in the cold plasma ahead of the ablative front [Phys. Rev. E 65 (2002) 57401], is introduced in simulations. The simulation results of the nonlinear evolution of the ARTI are in general agreement with the experiment results. It is found that two factors, i.e., the suppressing of ablative Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (AKHI) and the heat flow cone in the spike tips, contribute to the formation of jet-like long spike in the nonlinear evolution of the ARTI. (authors)

The internal waves and Rayleigh-Taylor instability in compressible quantum plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, H. L.; Qiu, X. M.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the quantum effect on internal waves and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in compressible quantum plasmas. First of all, let us consider the case of the limit of short wavelength perturbations. In the case, the dispersion relation including quantum and compressibility effects and the RT instability growth rate can be derived using Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin method. The results show that the internal waves can propagate along the transverse direction due to the quantum effect, which was first pointed out by Bychkov et al.[Phys. Lett. A 372, 3042 (2008)], and the coupling between it and compressibility effect, which is found out in this paper. Then, without making the approximation assumption of short wavelength limit, we examine the linearized perturbation equation following Qiu et al.'s solving process [Phys. Plasmas 10, 2956 (2003)]. It is found that the quantum effect always stabilizes the RT instability in either incompressible or compressible quantum plasmas. Moreover, in the latter case, the coupling between it and compressibility effect makes this stabilization further enhance.

What extent will small-scale laser-beam fluctuations seed the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in direct-drive targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skupsky, S.; McCrory, R.L.; Verdon, C.P.

1984-01-01

The nonuniformity in laser energy deposition on a spherical target is calculated for multiple overlapping beams having small-scale fluctuations. Such nonuniformities can imprint themselves on the target surface and ''seed'' the Rayleigh-Taylor instability early in the pulse before an adequate, smoothing plasma-atmosphere has been established. The resulting growth of target deformation during the implosion is estimated

Secondary Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities in the Reconnection Exhaust Jet: A Mechanism for Supra-Arcade Downflows in the Solar Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, L.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Huang, Y. M.; Innes, D.

2014-12-01

Supra-arcade downflows (hereafter referred to as SADs) are low-emission, elongated, finger-like features usually observed in active-region coronae above post-eruption flare arcades. Observations exhibit downward moving SADs intertwined with bright, upward moving spikes. Whereas SADs are dark voids, spikes are brighter, denser structures. Although SADs have been observed for decades, the mechanism for formation of SADs remains an open issue. Using high-Lundquist-number three-dimensional resistive MHD simulations, we demonstrate that secondary Rayleigh-Taylor type instabilities develop in the downstream region of a reconnecting current sheet. The instability results in the formation of low-density coherent structures that resemble SADs, intertwined with high-density structures that appear to be spike-like. Using SDO/AIA images, we highlight features that have been previously unexplained, such as the splitting of SADs at their heads, but are a natural consequence of instabilities above the arcade. Comparison with siumlations suggest that secondary Rayleigh-Taylor type instabilities in the exhaust of reconnecting current sheets provide a plausible mechanism for observed SADs and spikes. Although the plasma conditions are vastly different, analogous phenomena also occur in the Earth's magnetotail during reconnection.

Linear theory of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the equatorial ionsophere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russel, D.A.; Ott, E.

1979-01-01

We present a liner theory of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the equatorial ionosphere. For a purely exponential density profile, we find that no unstable eigenmode solutions exist. For a particular model ionosphere with an F peak, unstable eigenmode solutions exist only for sufficiently small horizontal wave numbers. In the later case, purely exponential growth at a rate identical to that for the sharp boundary instability is found. To clarify the situation in the case that eigenmodes do not exist, we solve the initial value problem for the linearized ion equation of motion in the long time asymptotic limit. Ion inertia and ion-neutral collisions are included. Assuming straight magnetic field lines, we find that when eigenmodes do not exist the growth of the response to an impulse is slower than exponential viz, t=/sup -1/2/ exp (γ/sup t/) below the F peak and t/sup -3/2/ exp(γ/sup t/) above the peak; and we determine γ

NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF THE MAGNETIC RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY IN THE KIPPENHAHN-SCHLÜTER PROMINENCE MODEL. I. FORMATION OF UPFLOWS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hillier, Andrew; Isobe, Hiroaki; Shibata, Kazunari; Berger, Thomas

2012-01-01

The launch of the Hinode satellite led to the discovery of rising plumes, dark in chromospheric lines, that propagate from large (∼10 Mm) bubbles that form at the base of quiescent prominences. The plumes move through a height of approximately 10 Mm while developing highly turbulent profiles. The magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability was hypothesized to be the mechanism that drives these flows. In this study, using three-dimensional (3D) MHD simulations, we investigate the nonlinear stability of the Kippenhahn-Schlüter prominence model for the interchange mode of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The model simulates the rise of a buoyant tube inside the quiescent prominence model, where the interchange of magnetic field lines becomes possible at the boundary between the buoyant tube and the prominence. Hillier et al. presented the initial results of this study, where upflows of constant velocity (maximum found 6 km s –1 ) and a maximum plume width ≈1.5 Mm which propagate through a height of approximately 6 Mm were found. Nonlinear interaction between plumes was found to be important for determining the plume dynamics. In this paper, using the results of ideal MHD simulations, we determine how the initial parameters for the model and buoyant tube affect the evolution of instability. We find that the 3D mode of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability grows, creating upflows aligned with the magnetic field of constant velocity (maximum found 7.3 km s –1 ). The width of the upflows is dependent on the initial conditions, with a range of 0.5-4 Mm which propagate through heights of 3-6 Mm. These results are in general agreement with the observations of the rising plumes.

Approximate evaluation of viscous effects in the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gratton, J.

1989-01-01

The effects of viscosity in the Rayleigh--Taylor instability are very important in many instances of interest but, although they have been investigated in some simple cases, the extensive algebraic complexities that are involved in the treatment of the problem tend to becloud the analysis and prevent generalizations of the results. In the paper a simple approximate method which improves a previous one by Plesset and Whipple is discussed. The viscous effects are accounted in an intuitive and transparent way, and can be easily estimated. The results are compared with exact calculations showing good agreement. For this purpose a method of analysis of the exact dispersion relation is developed, which circumvents most of the algebraic complications of the usual procedures. Both the approximate method and the novel treatment of the exact dispersion relation can be generalized to other problems of the same family

Rayleigh-Taylor instability and resulting failure modes of ablatively imploded inertial fusion targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montierth, L.; Morse, R.

1984-01-01

This chapter discusses small amplitude growth of the outside surface instability and modes of failure resulting from nonlinear development of the inside surface instability. It is demonstrated that pellets with initial pellet aspect ratio, A /SUB p/ >5 may have difficulty with Rayleigh-Taylor instability and that shells with A /SUB p/ greater than or equal to10 will probably demand stringent smoothness specification in order not to experience failure in the final implosion. The linear amplification of the outside surface instability can easily exceed 10 3 for A /SUB p/ and resulting A values in the range of programmatic interest. Amplifications of this order, starting from attainable surface finishes, can then penetrate to the inside shell surface, producing perturbations there which approach the nonlinear development amplitude and at the start of the final deceleration. It is shown that such inside surface perturbations can be amplified to large amplitude by the inside instability and cause failure through reduction of the maximum fuel temperature achieved. Insight into the scaling of failure mechanisms is offered

Stabilization of the Rayleigh - Taylor instability with convection in an ablatively accelerated laser plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bud'ko, A.B.; Liberman, M.A.

1992-01-01

In the framework of WKB approximation the problem is studied of stabilizing the Rayleigh - Taylor instability with unhomogeneous convective flow, developing in the ablation zone during the ablative acceleration of the laser target plasma. The eigenvalue (instability growth rates) problem is reduced to solving an algebraic equation with the coefficients depending on the unperturbed profile structure of hydrodynamic variables. For the important case of the incompressible plasma subsonic flow, the instability growth rates is shown to vanish at k=k 0 =max(2(g|∇ ln p|) 1/2 /ν). The consistency condition of the model consists in the smallness of the local Froude number in the region of instability development. However, as seen from the comparison with the numerical calculations, the model is well appicable also for the case of the sufficiently abrupt density gradient provided the Froude number is of order of unity

The method of characteristic for nonlinear generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability associated with equatorial spread F: An analytical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekar, R.; Kherani, E.A.

2002-01-01

An analytical method is presented for the nonlinear generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurring over the night-time equatorial F region of the terrestrial ionosphere. The time and spatial domain characteristic methods are adopted to describe the evolutions of plasma density and particle flux, respectively. The analysis efficiently describes the known nonlinear features of instability as suggested by many numerical simulations. The existence of shock or steepened structures and their dynamics are discussed by studying the evolution of the characteristics

Ablative stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities resulting from a laser-driven radiative shock

Science.gov (United States)

Huntington, C. M.; Shimony, A.; Trantham, M.; Kuranz, C. C.; Shvarts, D.; Di Stefano, C. A.; Doss, F. W.; Drake, R. P.; Flippo, K. A.; Kalantar, D. H.; Klein, S. R.; Kline, J. L.; MacLaren, S. A.; Malamud, G.; Miles, A. R.; Prisbrey, S. T.; Raman, K. S.; Remington, B. A.; Robey, H. F.; Wan, W. C.; Park, H.-S.

2018-05-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is a common occurrence in nature, notably in astrophysical systems like supernovae, where it serves to mix the dense layers of the interior of an exploding star with the low-density stellar wind surrounding it, and in inertial confinement fusion experiments, where it mixes cooler materials with the central hot spot in an imploding capsule and stifles the desired nuclear reactions. In both of these examples, the radiative flux generated by strong shocks in the system may play a role in partially stabilizing RT instabilities. Here, we present experiments performed on the National Ignition Facility, designed to isolate and study the role of radiation and heat conduction from a shock front in the stabilization of hydrodynamic instabilities. By varying the laser power delivered to a shock-tube target with an embedded, unstable interface, the radiative fluxes generated at the shock front could be controlled. We observe decreased RT growth when the shock significantly heats the medium around it, in contrast to a system where the shock did not produce significant heating. Both systems are modeled with a modified set of buoyancy-drag equations accounting for ablative stabilization, and the experimental results are consistent with ablative stabilization when the shock is radiative. This result has important implications for our understanding of astrophysical radiative shocks and supernova radiative hydrodynamics [Kuranz et al., Nature Communications 9(1), 1564 (2018)].

Evidence for a Rayleigh-Taylor type instability and upwelling of depleted density regions during equatorial spread F

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, M. C.; Haerendel, G.; Kappler, H.; Valenzuela, A.; Balsley, B. B.; Carter, D. A.; Ecklund, W. L.; Carlson, C. W.; Haeusler, B.; Torbert, R.

1976-01-01

Recent rocket probe, barium cloud and radar measurements conducted during equatorial spread F conditions are interpreted in terms of a Rayleigh-Taylor gravitational instability operating on the bottomside of the F peak. The persistent theoretical problems associated with strong radar echoes typically observed in patch-like structures at high altitudes are explained in terms of regions of depleted plasma density which buoyantly rise against the gravitational field.

Evidence for a Rayleigh-Taylor type instability and upwelling of depleted density regions during equatorial spread F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelley, M.C.; Haerendel, G.; Kappler, H.; Valenzuela, A.; Balsley, B.B.; Carter, D.A.; Ecklund, W.L.; Carlson, C.W.; Hausler, B.; Torbert, R.

1976-01-01

Recent rocket probe, barium cloud and radar measurements conducted during equatorial spread F conditions are interpreted in terms of a Rayleigh-Taylor gravitational instability operating on the bottomside of the F peak. The persistent theoretical problems associated with strong radar echoes typically observed in patch-like structures at high altitudes are explained in terms of regions of depleted plasma density which bouyantly rise against the gravitational field

Two-dimensional simulation of the hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an imploding foil plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roderick, N.F.; Hussey, T.W.; Faehl, R.J.; Boyd, R.W.

1978-01-01

Two-dimensional (r-z) magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the electromagnetic implosion of metallic foil plasmas show, for certain initial configurations, a tendency to develop large-amplitude perturbations characteristic of the hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability. These perturbations develop at the plasma magnetic field interface for plasma configurations where the density gradient scale length, the characteristic dimension for the instability, is short. The effects on the plasma dynamics of the implosion will be discussed for several initial foil configurations. In general, the growth rates and linear mode structure are found to be influenced by the plasma shell thickness and density gradient scale length, in agreement with theory. The most destructive modes are found to be those with wavelengths of the order of the plasma shell thickness

Stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability by convection in an ablatively accelerated laser plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bul'ko, A.B.; Liberman, M.A.

1992-01-01

The authors use the WKB-approximation to treat the problem of the stabilization by an inhomogeneous convective current of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability developing in the ablation zone when the plasma of laser targets is accelerated by ablation. The problem of the eigenvalues - the instability growth rates - is reduced to the solution of an algebraic equation with coefficients which depend on the structure of the unperturbed profiles of the hydrodynamic variables. They show for the practically important case of subsonic flow of an incompressible plasma that the instability growth rate vanishes for k = k o = max[2(g|∇lnρ|) 1/2 /v]. The condition for the self-consistency of the model is that the local Froude number be small in the region where the instability develops; however, comparison with numerical calculations shows that the model is also applicable in the case of rather steep density gradients when the Froude number is of order unity. 32 refs., 2 figs

Potential flow model for the hydromagnetic Rayleigh--Taylor instability in cylindrical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, C.S.; Roderick, N.F.

1987-01-01

A potential flow model has been developed to study the linear behavior of the hydromagnetic equivalent of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability in imploding cylindrical plasmas. Ordinary differential equations are obtained for both (r,z) and (r,θ) disturbances. The model allows the study of the dynamic effects of the moving plasma on the development of the instability. The perturbation equations separate into a geometric part associated with the motion of the interface and a nongeometric part associated with the stability of the interface. In both planes the geometric part shows growth of perturbations for imploding plasmas. The surface is also unstable in both planes for plasmas being imploded by magnetic fields. Analytic solutions are obtained for constant acceleration. These show that the short wavelength perturbations that are most damaging in the (r,z) plane are not affected by the motion of the interface. In the (r,θ) plane the growth of longer wavelength disturbances is affected by the interface motion

Bubble velocity in the nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability at a deflagration front

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modestov, Mikhail; Bychkov, Vitaly; Betti, Riccardo; Eriksson, Lars-Erik

2008-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability at a deflagration front is studied systematically using extensive direct numerical simulations. It is shown that, for a sufficiently large gravitational field, the effects of bubble rising dominate the deflagration dynamics. It is demonstrated both analytically and numerically that the deflagration speed is described asymptotically by the Layzer theory in the limit of large acceleration. In the opposite limit of small and zero gravitational field, intrinsic properties of the deflagration front become important. In that case, the deflagration speed is determined by the velocity of a planar front and by the Darrieus-Landau instability. Because of these effects, the deflagration speed is larger than predicted by the Layzer theory. An analytical formula for the deflagration speed is suggested, which matches two asymptotic limits of large and small acceleration. The formula is in good agreement with the numerical data in a wide range of Froude numbers. The present results are also in agreement with previous numerical simulations on this problem

A propagator matrix method for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of multiple layers: a case study on crustal delamination in the early Earth

Science.gov (United States)

Mondal, Puskar; Korenaga, Jun

2018-03-01

The dispersion relation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, a gravitational instability associated with unstable density stratification, is of profound importance in various geophysical contexts. When more than two layers are involved, a semi-analytical technique based on the biharmonic formulation of Stokes flow has been extensively used to obtain such dispersion relation. However, this technique may become cumbersome when applied to lithospheric dynamics, where a number of layers are necessary to represent the continuous variation of viscosity over many orders of magnitude. Here, we present an alternative and more efficient method based on the propagator matrix formulation of Stokes flow. With this approach, the original instability problem is reduced to a compact eigenvalue equation whose size is solely determined by the number of primary density contrasts. We apply this new technique to the stability of the early crust, and combined with the Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis, we derive an empirical formula to compute the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for this particular geophysical setting. Our analysis indicates that the likelihood of crustal delamination hinges critically on the effective viscosity of eclogite.

Finite-thickness effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in accelerated elastic solids

Science.gov (United States)

Piriz, S. A.; Piriz, A. R.; Tahir, N. A.

2017-05-01

A physical model has been developed for the linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a finite-thickness elastic slab laying on top of a semi-infinite ideal fluid. The model includes the nonideal effects of elasticity as boundary conditions at the top and bottom interfaces of the slab and also takes into account the finite transit time of the elastic waves across the slab thickness. For Atwood number AT=1 , the asymptotic growth rate is found to be in excellent agreement with the exact solution [Plohr and Sharp, Z. Angew. Math. Mech. 49, 786 (1998), 10.1007/s000330050121], and a physical explanation is given for the reduction of the stabilizing effectiveness of the elasticity for the thinner slabs. The feedthrough factor is also calculated.

Modal model for the nonlinear multimode Rayleigh endash Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ofer, D.; Alon, U.; Shvarts, D.; McCrory, R.L.; Verdon, C.P.

1996-01-01

A modal model for the Rayleigh endash Taylor (RT) instability, applicable at all stages of the flow, is introduced. The model includes a description of nonlinear low-order mode coupling, mode growth saturation, and post-saturation mode coupling. It is shown to significantly extend the range of applicability of a previous model proposed by Haan, to cases where nonlinear mode generation is important. Using the new modal model, we study the relative importance of mode coupling at late nonlinear stages and resolve the difference between cases in which mode generation assumes a dominant role, leading to the late time inverse cascade of modes and loss of memory of initial conditions, and cases where mode generation is not important and memory of initial conditions is retained. Effects of finite density ratios (Atwood number A<1) are also included in the model and the difference between various measures of the mixing zone penetration depth for A<1 is discussed. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Prominence Bubble Shear Flows and the Coupled Kelvin-Helmholtz — Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Thomas; Hillier, Andrew

2017-08-01

Prominence bubbles are large arched structures that rise from below into quiescent prominences, often growing to heights on the order of 10 Mm before going unstable and generating plume upflows. While there is general agreement that emerging flux below pre-existing prominences causes the structures, there is lack of agreement on the nature of the bubbles and the cause of the instability flows. One hypothesis is that the bubbles contain coronal temperature plasma and rise into the prominence above due to both magnetic and thermal buoyancy, eventually breaking down via a magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability to release hot plasma and magnetic flux and helicity into the overlying coronal flux rope. Another posits that the bubbles are actually just “arcades” in the prominence indicating a magnetic separator line between the bipole and the prominence fields with the observed upflows and downflows caused by reconnection along the separator. We analyze Hinode/SOT, SDO/AIA, and IRIS observations of prominence bubbles, focusing on characteristics of the bubble boundary layers that may discriminate between the two hypotheses. We find speeds on the order of 10 km/s in prominence plasma downflows and lateral shear flows along the bubble boundary. Inflows to the boundary gradually increase the thickness and brightness of the layer until plasma drains from there, apparently around the dome-like bubble domain. In one case, shear flow across the bubble boundary develops Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) vortices that we use to infer flow speeds in the low-density bubble on the order of 100 km/sec. IRIS spectra indicate that plasma flows on the bubble boundary at transition region temperatures achieve Doppler speeds on the order of 50 km/s, consistent with this inference. Combined magnetic KH-RT instability analysis leads to flux density estimates of 10 G with a field angle of 30° to the prominence, consistent with vector magnetic field measurements. In contrast, we find no evidence

New phenomena in variable-density Rayleigh-Taylor turbulence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Livescu, D; Ristorcelli, J R; Petersen, M R; Gore, R A, E-mail: livescu@lanl.gov [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

2010-12-15

This paper presents several issues related to mixing and turbulence structure in buoyancy-driven turbulence at low to moderate Atwood numbers, A, found from direct numerical simulations in two configurations: classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability and an idealized triply periodic Rayleigh-Taylor flow. Simulations at A up to 0.5 are used to examine the turbulence characteristics and contrast them with those obtained close to the Boussinesq approximation. The data sets used represent the largest simulations to date in each configuration. One of the more remarkable issues explored, first reported in (Livescu and Ristorcelli 2008 J. Fluid Mech. 605 145-80), is the marked difference in mixing between different density fluids as opposed to the mixing that occurs between fluids of commensurate densities, corresponding to the Boussinesq approximation. Thus, in the triply periodic configuration and the non-Boussinesq case, an initially symmetric density probability density function becomes skewed, showing that the mixing is asymmetric, with pure heavy fluid mixing more slowly than pure light fluid. A mechanism producing the mixing asymmetry is proposed and the consequences for the classical Rayleigh-Taylor configuration are discussed. In addition, it is shown that anomalous small-scale anisotropy found in the homogeneous configuration (Livescu and Ristorcelli 2008 J. Fluid Mech. 605 145-80) and Rayleigh-Taylor turbulence at A=0.5 (Livescu et al 2008 J. Turbul. 10 1-32) also occurs near the Boussinesq limit. Results pertaining to the moment closure modelling of Rayleigh-Taylor turbulence are also presented. Although the Rayleigh-Taylor mixing layer width reaches self-similar growth relatively fast, the lower-order terms in the self-similar expressions for turbulence moments have long-lasting effects and derived quantities, such as the turbulent Reynolds number, are slow to follow the self-similar predictions. Since eddy diffusivity in the popular gradient transport hypothesis

Lateral movements in Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities due to frontiers. Experimental study

Science.gov (United States)

Binda, L.; Fernández, D.; El Hasi, C.; Zalts, A.; D'Onofrio, A.

2018-01-01

Lateral movements of the fingers in Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instabilities at the interface between two fluids are studied. We show that transverse movements appear when a physical boundary is present; these phenomena have not been explained until now. The boundary prevents one of the fluids from crossing it. Such frontiers can be buoyancy driven as, for example, the frontier to the passage of a less dense solution through a denser solution or when different aggregation states coexist (liquid and gaseous phases). An experimental study of the lateral movement velocity of the fingers was performed for different Rayleigh numbers (Ra), and when oscillations were detected, their amplitudes were studied. Liquid-liquid (L-L) and gas-liquid (G-L) systems were analysed. Aqueous HCl and Bromocresol Green (sodium salt, NaBCG) solutions were used in L-L experiments, and CO2 (gas) and aqueous NaOH, NaHCO3, and CaCl2 solutions were employed for the G-L studies. We observed that the lateral movement of the fingers and finger collapses near the interface are more notorious when Ra increases. The consequences of this, for each experience, are a decrease in the number of fingers and an increase in the velocity of the lateral finger movement close to the interface as time evolves. We found that the amplitude of the oscillations did not vary significantly within the considered Ra range. These results have an important implication when determining the wave number of instabilities in an evolving system. The wave number could be strongly diminished if there is a boundary.

Observed transition from Richtmyer-Meshkov jet formation through feedout oscillations to Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a laser target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aglitskiy, Y.; Karasik, M.; Velikovich, A. L.; Serlin, V.; Weaver, J. L.; Kessler, T. J.; Schmitt, A. J.; Obenschain, S. P.; Nikitin, S. P.; Oh, J.; Metzler, N.

2012-01-01

Experimental study of hydrodynamic perturbation evolution triggered by a laser-driven shock wave breakout at the free rippled rear surface of a plastic target is reported. At sub-megabar shock pressure, planar jets manifesting the development of the Richtmyer-Meshkov-type instability in a non-accelerated target are observed. As the shock pressure exceeds 1 Mbar, an oscillatory rippled expansion wave is observed, followed by the “feedout” of the rear-surface perturbations to the ablation front and the development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which breaks up the accelerated target.

Regimes of the magnetized Rayleigh endash Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winske, D.

1996-01-01

Hybrid simulations with kinetic ions and massless fluid electrons are used to investigate the linear and nonlinear behavior of the magnetized Rayleigh endash Taylor instability in slab geometry with the plasma subject to a constant gravity. Three regimes are found, which are determined by the magnitude of the complex frequency ω=ω r +iγ. For |ω| i (Ω i = ion gyrofrequency), one finds the typical behavior of the usual fluid regime, namely the development of open-quote open-quote mushroom-head close-quote close-quote spikes and bubbles in the density and a strongly convoluted boundary between the plasma and magnetic field, where the initial gradient is not relaxed much. A second regime, where |ω|∼0.1Ω i , is characterized by the importance of the Hall term. Linearly, the developing flute modes are more finger-like and tilted along the interface; nonlinearly, clump-like structures form, leading to a significant broadening of the interface. The third regime is characterized by unmagnetized ion behavior, with |ω|∼Ω i . Density clumps, rather than flutes, form in the linear stage, while nonlinearly, longer-wavelength modes that resemble those in fluid regime dominate. Finite Larmor radius stabilization of short-wavelength modes is observed in each regime. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Self-similarity in high Atwood number Rayleigh-Taylor experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Mikhaeil, Mark; Suchandra, Prasoon; Pathikonda, Gokul; Ranjan, Devesh

2017-11-01

Self-similarity is a critical concept in turbulent and mixing flows. In the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, theory and simulations have shown that the flow exhibits properties of self-similarity as the mixing Reynolds number exceeds 20000 and the flow enters the turbulent regime. Here, we present results from the first large Atwood number (0.7) Rayleigh-Taylor experimental campaign for mixing Reynolds number beyond 20000 in an effort to characterize the self-similar nature of the instability. Experiments are performed in a statistically steady gas tunnel facility, allowing for the evaluation of turbulence statistics. A visualization diagnostic is used to study the evolution of the mixing width as the instability grows. This allows for computation of the instability growth rate. For the first time in such a facility, stereoscopic particle image velocimetry is used to resolve three-component velocity information in a plane. Velocity means, fluctuations, and correlations are considered as well as their appropriate scaling. Probability density functions of velocity fields, energy spectra, and higher-order statistics are also presented. The energy budget of the flow is described, including the ratio of the kinetic energy to the released potential energy. This work was supported by the DOE-NNSA SSAA Grant DE-NA0002922.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a self-similar spherical expansion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernstein, I.B.; Book, D.L.

1978-01-01

The self-similar motion of a spherically symmetric isentropic cloud of ideal gas driven outward by an expanding low-density medium (e.g., radiation pressure from a pulsar) is shown to be unstable to Rayleigh-Taylor modes which develop in the neighborhood of the interface. A complete solution of the linearized equations of motion is obtained. The implications for astrophysical phenomena are discussed

Suppression of the Rayleigh Taylor instability and its implication for the impact ignition

Science.gov (United States)

Azechi, H.; Shiraga, H.; Nakai, M.; Shigemori, K.; Fujioka, S.; Sakaiya, T.; Tamari, Y.; Ohtani, K.; Murakami, M.; Sunahara, A.; Nagatomo, H.; Nishihara, K.; Miyanaga, N.; Izawa, Y.

2004-12-01

The Rayleigh Taylor (RT) instability with material ablation through an unstable interface is the key physics that determines the success or failure of inertial fusion energy (IFE) generation, as the RT instability potentially quenches ignition and burn by disintegrating the IFE target. We present two suppression schemes of the RT growth without significant degradation of the target density. The first scheme is to generate a double ablation structure in high-Z doped plastic targets. In addition to the electron ablation surface, a new ablation surface is created by x-ray radiation from the high-Z ions. Contrary to the previous thought, the electron ablation surface is almost completely stabilized by extremely high flow velocity. On the other hand, the RT instability on the radiative ablation surface is significantly moderated. The second is to enhance the nonlocal nature of the electron heat transport by illuminating the target with long wavelength laser light, whereas the high ablation pressure is generated by irradiating with short wavelength laser light. The significant suppression of the RT instability may increase the possibility of impact ignition which uses a high-velocity fuel colliding with a preformed main fuel.

Suppression of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and its implication for the impact ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azechi, H; Shiraga, H; Nakai, M; Shigemori, K; Fujioka, S; Sakaiya, T; Tamari, Y; Ohtani, K; Murakami, M; Sunahara, A; Nagatomo, H; Nishihara, K; Miyanaga, N; Izawa, Y

2004-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability with material ablation through an unstable interface is the key physics that determines the success or failure of inertial fusion energy (IFE) generation, as the RT instability potentially quenches ignition and burn by disintegrating the IFE target. We present two suppression schemes of the RT growth without significant degradation of the target density. The first scheme is to generate a double ablation structure in high-Z doped plastic targets. In addition to the electron ablation surface, a new ablation surface is created by x-ray radiation from the high-Z ions. Contrary to the previous thought, the electron ablation surface is almost completely stabilized by extremely high flow velocity. On the other hand, the RT instability on the radiative ablation surface is significantly moderated. The second is to enhance the nonlocal nature of the electron heat transport by illuminating the target with long wavelength laser light, whereas the high ablation pressure is generated by irradiating with short wavelength laser light. The significant suppression of the RT instability may increase the possibility of impact ignition which uses a high-velocity fuel colliding with a preformed main fuel

Algorithm and exploratory study of the Hall MHD Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardiner, Thomas Anthony

2010-01-01

This report is concerned with the influence of the Hall term on the nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability. This begins with a review of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations including the Hall term and the wave modes which are present in the system on time scales short enough that the plasma can be approximated as being stationary. In this limit one obtains what are known as the electron MHD (EMHD) equations which support two characteristic wave modes known as the whistler and Hall drift modes. Each of these modes is considered in some detail in order to draw attention to their key features. This analysis also serves to provide a background for testing the numerical algorithms used in this work. The numerical methods are briefly described and the EMHD solver is then tested for the evolution of whistler and Hall drift modes. These methods are then applied to study the nonlinear evolution of the MHD RT instability with and without the Hall term for two different configurations. The influence of the Hall term on the mixing and bubble growth rate are analyzed.

Multiscale character of the nonlinear coherent dynamics in the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abarzhi, S.I.; Nishihara, K.; Rosner, R.

2006-01-01

We report nonlinear solutions for a system of conservation laws describing the dynamics of the large-scale coherent structure of bubbles and spikes in the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) for fluids with a finite density ratio. Three-dimensional flows are considered with general type of symmetry in the plane normal to the direction of gravity. The nonlocal properties of the interface evolution are accounted for on the basis of group theory. It is shown that isotropic coherent structures are stable. For anisotropic structures, secondary instabilities develop with the growth rate determined by the density ratio. For stable structures, the curvature and velocity of the nonlinear bubble have nontrivial dependencies on the density ratio, yet their mutual dependence on one another has an invariant form independent of the density ratio. The process of bubble merge is not considered. Based on the obtained results we argue that the large-scale coherent dynamics in RTI has a multiscale character and is governed by two length scales: the period of the coherent structure and the bubble (spike) position

Growth of the Rayleigh endash Taylor instability in an imploding Z-pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Groot, J.S.; Toor, A.; Golberg, S.M.; Liberman, M.A.

1997-01-01

Rayleigh endash Taylor (RT) instability of cylindrical, imploding plasma liners in a Z-pinch is analyzed. The reduction in total perturbation growth for multicascade systems (multiple imploding shells) is presented. This reduction is effective if the pressure produced by the impacting shell exceeds the magnetic pressure at the time of impact. Analytical and numerical solutions are also obtained for the RT instability of an imploding plasma liner accelerated into undisturbed plasma. The snowplow model is used in which the mass encountered by the imploding magnetic piston is swept into an infinitely thin sheath. A shock front launched ahead of the liner is shown to reduce the growth rate. It is also shown that accumulating the mass increases the growth rate. However, the total perturbation growth can be reduced if the liner accumulates the mass during the implosion compared to a liner with the same mass imploding into vacuum. Finally, it is shown that the final kinetic energy density for a given shell nonuniformity is largest if the final liner mass is accumulated during the implosion. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability in partially ionized plasma and the equatorial spread - F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, R.K.; Das, A.C.

1978-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of the collisional gravitation induced Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability in the equatorial F region is investigated taking into account the finite Larmor radius (FLR) effects and the complete ion inertial term in ion equation of motion. A special class of coherent weakly nonlinear modes as solutions to the wave equation describing R-T instability driven modes is obtained. The leading nonlinear effects in the wave equation are found to appear through Vsub(L), the ion diamagnetic drift which essentially gives the FLR corrections. It is shown that the R-T modes in the equatorial F region can evolve into coherent, nonlinear, almost sinusoidal, stationary wave structures. These structures are found to travel with a constant phase velocity and to have slightly distorted sinusoidal shapes. These results seem to have a good agreement with many of the recent rocket and satellite observations of the equatorial spread F irregularities. (author)

Finite plate thickness effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in elastic-plastic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Polavarapu, Rinosh; Banerjee, Arindam

2017-11-01

The majority of theoretical studies have tackled the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) problem in solids using an infinitely thick plate. Recent theoretical studies by Piriz et al. (PRE 95, 053108, 2017) have explored finite thickness effects. We seek to validate this recent theoretical estimate experimentally using our rotating wheel RTI experiment in an accelerated elastic-plastic material. The test section consists of a container filled with air and mayonnaise (a non-Newtonian emulsion) with an initial perturbation between two materials. The plate thickness effects are studied by varying the depth of the soft-solid. A set of experiments is run by employing different initial conditions with different container dimensions. Additionally, the effect of acceleration rate (driving pressure rise time) on the instability threshold with reference to the finite thickness will also be inspected. Furthermore, the experimental results are compared to the analytical strength models related to finite thickness effects on RTI. Authors acknowledge financial support from DOE-SSAA Grant # DE-NA0003195 and LANL subcontract #370333.

Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instability induced flow, turbulence, and mixing. I

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ye

2017-12-01

Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities play an important role in a wide range of engineering, geophysical, and astrophysical flows. They represent a triggering event that, in many cases, leads to large-scale turbulent mixing. Much effort has been expended over the past 140 years, beginning with the seminal work of Lord Rayleigh, to predict the evolution of the instabilities and of the instability-induced mixing layers. The objective of Part I of this review is to provide the basic properties of the flow, turbulence, and mixing induced by RT, RM, and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities. Historical efforts to study these instabilities are briefly reviewed, and the significance of these instabilities is discussed for a variety of flows, particularly for astrophysical flows and for the case of inertial confinement fusion. Early experimental efforts are described, and analytical attempts to model the linear, and nonlinear regimes of these mixing layers are examined. These analytical efforts include models for both single-mode and multi-mode initial conditions, as well as multi-scale models to describe the evolution. Comparisons of these models and theories to experimental and simulation studies are then presented. Next, attention is paid to the issue of the influence of stabilizing mechanisms (e.g., viscosity, surface tension, and diffuse interface) on the evolution of these instabilities, as well as the limitations and successes of numerical methods. Efforts to study these instabilities and mixing layers using group-theoretic ideas, as well as more formal notions of turbulence cascade processes during the later stages of the induced mixing layers, are inspected. A key element of the review is the discussion of the late-time self-similar scaling for the RT and RM growth factors, α and θ. These parameters are influenced by the initial conditions and much of the observed variation can be explained by this. In some cases, these instabilities

Designs for highly nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor experiments on the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casner, A.; Masse, L.; Liberatore, S.; Jacquet, L.; Loiseau, P.; Poujade, O.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Bradley, D. K.; Park, H. S.; Remington, B. A.; Igumenshchev, I.; Chicanne, C.

2012-01-01

We present two designs relevant to ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in transition from weakly nonlinear to highly nonlinear regimes at the National Ignition Facility [E. I. Moses, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 112, 012003 (2008)]. The sensitivity of nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability physics to ablation velocity is addressed with targets driven by indirect drive, with stronger ablative stabilization, and by direct drive, with weaker ablative stabilization. The indirect drive design demonstrates the potential to reach a two-dimensional bubble-merger regime with a 20 ns duration drive at moderate radiation temperature. The direct drive design achieves a 3 to 5 times increased acceleration distance for the sample in comparison to previous experiments allowing at least 2 more bubble generations when starting from a three-dimensional broadband spectrum.

Designs for highly nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor experiments on the National Ignition Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casner, A.; Masse, L.; Liberatore, S.; Jacquet, L.; Loiseau, P.; Poujade, O. [CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France); Smalyuk, V. A.; Bradley, D. K.; Park, H. S.; Remington, B. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Igumenshchev, I. [Laboratory of Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623-1299 (United States); Chicanne, C. [CEA, DAM, VALDUC, F-21120 Is-sur-Tille (France)

2012-08-15

We present two designs relevant to ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in transition from weakly nonlinear to highly nonlinear regimes at the National Ignition Facility [E. I. Moses, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 112, 012003 (2008)]. The sensitivity of nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability physics to ablation velocity is addressed with targets driven by indirect drive, with stronger ablative stabilization, and by direct drive, with weaker ablative stabilization. The indirect drive design demonstrates the potential to reach a two-dimensional bubble-merger regime with a 20 ns duration drive at moderate radiation temperature. The direct drive design achieves a 3 to 5 times increased acceleration distance for the sample in comparison to previous experiments allowing at least 2 more bubble generations when starting from a three-dimensional broadband spectrum.

Nonlinear saturated states of the magnetic-curvature-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability in three dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Amita; Sen, Abhijit; Kaw, Predhiman; Benkadda, S.; Beyer, Peter

2005-01-01

Three-dimensional electromagnetic fluid simulations of the magnetic-curvature-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability are presented. Issues related to the existence of nonlinear saturated states and the nature of the temporal evolution to such states from random initial conditions are addressed. It is found that nonlinear saturated states arising from generation of zonal shear flows continue to exist in certain parametric domains but their spectrum and spatial characteristics have important differences from earlier two-dimensional results reported in Phys. Plasmas 4, 1018 (1997) and Phys. Plasmas 8, 5104 (2001). In particular, the three-dimensional nonlinear states possess a significant power level in short scales and the spatial structures of the potential and density fluctuations appear not to develop any functional correlations. Electromagnetic effects are found to inhibit the formation of zonal flows and thereby to considerably restrict the parametric domain of nonlinear stabilization. The role of finite k parallel and the contribution of the unstable drift wave branch are also discussed and delineated through a number of simulation studies carried out in special simplified limits

Modeling and simulations of radiative blast wave driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Shimony, Assaf; Huntington, Channing M.; Trantham, Matthew; Malamud, Guy; Elbaz, Yonatan; Kuranz, Carolyn C.; Drake, R. Paul; Shvarts, Dov

2017-10-01

Recent experiments at the National Ignition Facility measured the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor RT instabilities driven by radiative blast waves, relevant to astrophysics and other HEDP systems. We constructed a new Buoyancy-Drag (BD) model, which accounts for the ablation effect on both bubble and spike. This ablation effect is accounted for by using the potential flow model ]Oron et al PoP 1998], adding another term to the classical BD formalism: βDuA / u , where β the Takabe constant, D the drag term, uA the ablation velocity and uthe instability growth velocity. The model results are compared with the results of experiments and 2D simulations using the CRASH code, with nominal radiation or reduced foam opacity (by a factor of 1000). The ablation constant of the model, βb / s, for the bubble and for the spike fronts, are calibrated using the results of the radiative shock experiments. This work is funded by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under subcontract B614207, and was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Roles of bulk viscosity on Rayleigh-Taylor instability: Non-equilibrium thermodynamics due to spatio-temporal pressure fronts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sengupta, Tapan K., E-mail: tksen@iitk.ac.in; Bhole, Ashish; Shruti, K. S. [HPCL, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, UP (India); Sengupta, Aditi [Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Sharma, Nidhi [Graduate Student, HPCL, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, UP (India); Sengupta, Soumyo [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)

2016-09-15

Direct numerical simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) between two air masses with a temperature difference of 70 K is presented using compressible Navier-Stokes formulation in a non-equilibrium thermodynamic framework. The two-dimensional flow is studied in an isolated box with non-periodic walls in both vertical and horizontal directions. The non-conducting interface separating the two air masses is impulsively removed at t = 0 (depicting a heaviside function). No external perturbation has been used at the interface to instigate the instability at the onset. Computations have been carried out for rectangular and square cross sections. The formulation is free of Boussinesq approximation commonly used in many Navier-Stokes formulations for RTI. Effect of Stokes’ hypothesis is quantified, by using models from acoustic attenuation measurement for the second coefficient of viscosity from two experiments. Effects of Stokes’ hypothesis on growth of mixing layer and evolution of total entropy for the Rayleigh-Taylor system are reported. The initial rate of growth is observed to be independent of Stokes’ hypothesis and the geometry of the box. Following this stage, growth rate is dependent on the geometry of the box and is sensitive to the model used. As a consequence of compressible formulation, we capture pressure wave-packets with associated reflection and rarefaction from the non-periodic walls. The pattern and frequency of reflections of pressure waves noted specifically at the initial stages are reflected in entropy variation of the system.

Rayleigh-Taylor analysis in a laser-induced plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marin, R A; Gonzales, C A; Riascos, H

2012-01-01

We report the conditions (plasma parameters) under which the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) develops in an Al plasma produced by a Nd:Yag pulsed laser with a fluence range of 1 to 4 J/cm 2 , wavelength of 1064nm and 10Hz repetition rate. The used data correspond to different pressure values of the ambient N atmosphere. From previous works, we took the RTI growth rate form. From the perturbation theory the instability amplitude is proportional to e -ηt . Using the drag model, we calculated the plume dynamics equations integrating the instability term and plotted the instability growth profile with the delay time values to get critical numbers for it, in order to show under which conditions the RTI appears.

A numerical study of the nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability, with application of accreting X-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.M.; Nepveu, M.

1983-01-01

With a view toward applications to accreting X-ray sources, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is followed numerically, using a 2-D magnetohydrodynamic code. The presence of a uniform magnetic field in the underlying medium is allowed for. The infalling plasma is found to develop elongated, trailing loops; at least when the initial perturbation is highly symmetric, a narrow neck also forms through the action of the surrounding ram pressure. It is suggested that the swirling motion present in the nonlinear phase could produce some effective large-scale mixing between accreting plasma and the magnetospheric field of a neutron star. Another potentially significant tendency is for the curvature of the infalling plasma pocket to sharpen as the instability develops: magnetic tension may therefore become increasingly effective as a stabilizing influence. (orig.)

Hybrid simulations of radial transport driven by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Science.gov (United States)

Delamere, P. A.; Stauffer, B. H.; Ma, X.

2017-12-01

Plasma transport in the rapidly rotating giant magnetospheres is thought to involve a centrifugally-driven flux tube interchange instability, similar to the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability. In three dimensions, the convective flow patterns associated with the RT instability can produce strong guide field reconnection, allowing plasma mass to move radially outward while conserving magnetic flux (Ma et al., 2016). We present a set of hybrid (kinetic ion / fluid electron) plasma simulations of the RT instability using high plasma beta conditions appropriate for Jupiter's inner and middle magnetosphere. A density gradient, combined with a centrifugal force, provide appropriate RT onset conditions. Pressure balance is achieved by initializing two ion populations: one with fixed temperature, but varying density, and the other with fixed density, but a temperature gradient that offsets the density gradient from the first population and the centrifugal force (effective gravity). We first analyze two-dimensional results for the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field by comparing growth rates as a function of wave vector following Huba et al. (1998). Prescribed perpendicular wave modes are seeded with an initial velocity perturbation. We then extend the model to three dimensions, introducing a stabilizing parallel wave vector. Boundary conditions in the parallel direction prohibit motion of the magnetic field line footprints to model the eigenmodes of the magnetodisc's resonant cavity. We again compare growth rates based on perpendicular wave number, but also on the parallel extent of the resonant cavity, which fixes the size of the largest parallel wavelength. Finally, we search for evidence of strong guide field magnetic reconnection within the domain by identifying areas with large parallel electric fields or changes in magnetic field topology.

The Experimental Study of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability using a Linear Induction Motor Accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Nicholas; Jacobs, Jeffrey

2009-11-01

The experiments to be presented utilize an incompressible system of two stratified miscible liquids of different densities that are accelerated in order to produce the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Three liquid combinations are used: isopropyl alcohol with water, a calcium nitrate solution or a lithium polytungstate solution, giving Atwood numbers of 0.11, 0.22 and 0.57, respectively. The acceleration required to drive the instability is produced by two high-speed linear induction motors mounted to an 8 m tall drop tower. The motors are mounted in parallel and have an effective acceleration length of 1.7 m and are each capable of producing 15 kN of thrust. The liquid system is contained within a square acrylic tank with inside dimensions 76 x76x184 mm. The tank is mounted to an aluminum plate, which is driven by the motors to create constant accelerations in the range of 1-20 g's, though the potential exists for higher accelerations. Also attached to the plate are a high-speed camera and an LED backlight to provide continuous video of the instability. In addition, an accelerometer is used to provide acceleration measurements during each experiment. Experimental image sequences will be presented which show the development of a random three-dimensional instability from an unforced initial perturbation. Measurements of the mixing zone width will be compared with traditional growth models.

Manipulating Rayleigh-Taylor Growth Using Adjoints

Science.gov (United States)

Kord, Ali; Capecelatro, Jesse

2017-11-01

It has been observed that initial interfacial perturbations affect the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities. However, it remains to be seen to what extent the perturbations alter the RT growth rate. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) provide a powerful means for studying the effects of initial conditions (IC) on the growth rate. However, a brute-force approach for identifying optimal initial perturbations is not practical via DNS. In addition, identifying sensitivity of the RT growth to the large number of parameters used in defining the IC is computationally expensive. A discrete adjoint is formulated to measure sensitivities of multi-mode RT growth to ICs in a high-order finite difference framework. The sensitivity is used as a search direction for adjusting the initial perturbations to both maximize and suppress the RT growth rate during its non-linear regime. The modes that contribute the greatest sensitivity are identified, and optimized perturbation energy spectrum are reported. PhD Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

Three-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor convection of miscible fluids in a porous medium

Science.gov (United States)

Suekane, Tetsuya; Nakanishi, Yuji; Wang, Lei

2017-11-01

Natural convection of miscible fluids in a porous medium is relevant for fields, such as geoscience and geoengineering, and for the geological storage of CO2. In this study, we use X-ray computer tomography to visualize 3D fingering structures associated with the Rayleigh-Taylor instability between miscible fluids in a porous medium. In the early stages of the onset of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, a fine crinkling pattern gradually appears at the interface. As the wavelength and amplitude increase, descending fingers form on the interface and extend vertically downward; moreover, ascending and highly symmetric fingers form. The adjacent fingers are cylindrical in shape and coalesce to form large fingers. Fingers appearing on the interface tend to become finer with increasing Rayleigh number, which is consistent with linear perturbation theory. If the Péclet number exceeds 10, the transverse dispersion increases the finger diameter and enhances finger coalescence, strongly impacting the decay in finger number density. When mechanical dispersion is negligible, the finger-extension velocity, the mass-transfer rate, and the onset time scale with Rayleigh number. Mechanical dispersion not only reduces the onset time but also enhances mass transport, which indicates that mechanical dispersion influences the long-term dissolution process of CO2 injected into aquifers.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability of two superposed conducting Walters B' elastico-viscous fluids in hydromagnetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, R.C.; Kumar, Pardeep

1998-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability of two superposed electrically conducting Walters elastico-viscous fluids (Model B') of uniform densities when the whole system is immersed in a uniform horizontal magnetic field has been studied. The stability analysis has been carried out, for mathematical simplicity, for two highly viscoelastic fluids of equal kinematic viscosities and equal kinematic viscoelasticities. For the stable configuration as in hydrodynamic case, the system is found to be stable or unstable for the wave-number range k (2v') -12 depending on kinematic viscoelasticity v'. For the unstable configuration, the magnetic field has got stabilizing effect and completely stabilizes certain wave-number range which was always unstable in the absence of magnetic field. The behaviour of growth rates with respect kinematic viscosity and kinematic viscoelasticity parameters are examined analytically. (author)

Hydrodynamic instabilities in inertial fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, N.M.

1994-01-01

This report discusses topics on hydrodynamics instabilities in inertial confinement: linear analysis of Rayleigh-Taylor instability; ablation-surface instability; bubble rise in late-stage Rayleigh-Taylor instability; and saturation and multimode interactions in intermediate-stage Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Progress in understanding turbulent mixing induced by Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Ye; Remington, B.A.; Robey, H.F.; Cook, A.W.; Glendinning, S.G.; Dimits, A.; Buckingham, A.C.; Zimmerman, G.B.; Burke, E.W.; Peyser, T.A.; Cabot, W.; Eliason, D.

2003-01-01

Turbulent hydrodynamic mixing induced by the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities occurs in settings as varied as exploding stars (supernovae), inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule implosions, and macroscopic flows in fluid dynamics facilities such as shock tubes. Turbulence theory and modeling have been applied to RT and RM induced flows and developed into a quantitative description of turbulence from the onset to the asymptotic end-state. The treatment, based on a combined approach of theory, direct numerical simulation (DNS), and experimental data analysis, has broad generality. Three areas of progress will be reported. First, a robust, easy to apply criteria will be reported for the mixing transition in a time-dependent flow. This allows an assessment of whether flows, be they from supernova explosions or ICF experiments, should be mixed down to the molecular scale or not. Second, through DNS, the structure, scaling, and spectral evolution of the RT instability induced flow will be inspected. Finally, using these new physical insights, a two-scale, dynamic mix model has been developed that can be applied to simulations of ICF experiments and astrophysics situations alike

Stabilization of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability due to change of the Atwood number

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Wenhua; He, X.T.; Zhang Weiyan

2002-01-01

Recent experiment [S.G. Glendinning et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 3318 (1997)] showed that the measured growth rate of laser ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability with preheating is about 50% of the classic value and is reduced by about 18% compared with the simulated value obtained with the computer code LASNEX. By changing the temperature variation of the electron thermal conductivity at low temperatures, the density profile from the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook approximation is recovered in the simulation, and the simulated RT growth rate is in good agreement with the experimental value from Glendinning et al. The preheated density profile on ablative RT stablization is studied numerically. A change of the Atwood number in the preheating case also leads to RT stabilization. The RT growth formula γ=√(Akg/(1+AkL))-2kV a agrees well with experiment and simulation, and is appropriate for the preheating case

Unstable Titan-generated Rayleigh-Taylor Lakes Impact Ice

Science.gov (United States)

Umurhan, O. M.; Korycansky, D. G.; Zahnle, K. J.

2014-12-01

The evolution of surface morphology on Titan, Triton, and other worlds is strongly influenced by the interplay of various fluid dynamical processes. Specifically, overturning instabilities can easily arise due to the special circumstances of landform evolution that probably occurred on these worlds. On Titan, large impacts that formed basins like Menrva crater (and possibly Hotei Regio) would have generated impact-melt ice lakes unstably arranged over less dense ice. Cantaloupe terrains, for example as seen on Triton, may be the result of condensation of volatiles (methane, nitrogen) leading to unstably stratified layers of different compositions and densities. In each of these cases, Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities leading to large scale diapirism may be at play. In addition to the dynamics of these instabilities, other physical effects (e.g. heat diffusion, freezing/melting, porosity, temperature dependent viscosity) likely play an important role in the evolution of these features. In this ongoing study, we examine the properties of unstably stratified fluids in which the lower less-dense ice has a temperature dependent viscosity. Surprisingly, we find that there exists an optimal disturbance length scale corresponding to the fastest growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. For unstably stratified layers of water (low viscosity heavy liquid lying above an ice whose viscosity increases with depth) the fastest growing mode corresponds to 40-60 km scales with overturn times of approximately 100 days. We present a detailed numerical stability analysis in a corresponding Boussinessq model (in the creeping flow limit) incorporating thermal conduction and latent heat release and we examine the stability properties surveying a variety of parameters. We have also developed a two-dimensional numerical code (a hybrid spectral/compact-differencing scheme) to model the evolution of such systems for which we shall present preliminary numerical results depicting the outcome of

Stable radiation pressure acceleration of ions by suppressing transverse Rayleigh-Taylor instability with multiple Gaussian pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, M. L.; Liu, B.; Hu, R. H.; Shou, Y. R.; Lin, C.; Lu, H. Y.; Lu, Y. R.; Ma, W. J., E-mail: wenjun.ma@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Gu, Y. Q. [Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan 621900 (China); Yan, X. Q., E-mail: x.yan@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006 (China)

2016-08-15

In the case of a thin plasma slab accelerated by the radiation pressure of an ultra-intense laser pulse, the development of Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) will destroy the acceleration structure and terminate the acceleration process much sooner than theoretical limit. In this paper, a new scheme using multiple Gaussian pulses for ion acceleration in a radiation pressure acceleration regime is investigated with particle-in-cell simulation. We found that with multiple Gaussian pulses, the instability could be efficiently suppressed and the divergence of the ion bunch is greatly reduced, resulting in a longer acceleration time and much more collimated ion bunch with higher energy than using a single Gaussian pulse. An analytical model is developed to describe the suppression of RTI at the laser-plasma interface. The model shows that the suppression of RTI is due to the introduction of the long wavelength mode RTI by the multiple Gaussian pulses.

A review of the ablative stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in regimes relevant to ICF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilkenny, J.D.; Glendinning, S.G.; Haan, S.W.; Hammel, B.A.; Lindl, J.D.; Munro, D.; Remington, B.A.; Weber, S.V.; Knauer, J.P.; Verdon, C.P.

1993-12-01

It has been recognized for many years that the most significant limitation of ICF is the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability. It limits the distance an ablatively driven shell can be moved to several times its initial thickness. Fortunately material flow through the unstable region at velocity v A reduces the growth rate to √ 1+kL / kg -βkv A with β from 2-3. In recent years experiments using both x-ray drive and smoothed laser drive to accelerate foils have confirmed our understanding of the R-T instability. The growth of small initial modulations on the foils is measured for growth factors up to 60 for direct drive and 80 for indirect drive. For x-ray drive large stabilization is evident After some growth, the instability enters the non-linear phase when mode coupling and saturation are also seen and compare well with modeling. Normalized growth rates for direct drive are measured to be higher, but strategies for reduction by raising the isentrope are being investigated. For direct drive, high spatial frequencies are imprinted from the laser beam and amplified by the R-T instability. Modeling shows an understanding of this ''laser imprinting.''

Recent ACE 4 Z-pinch experiments: Long implosion time argon loads, uniform fill versus annular shell distributions and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coleman, P.; Rauch, J.; Rix, W.; Thompson, J.; Wilson, R.

1997-01-01

Hammer (1996) and Velikovich (1996) have discussed ways to mitigate the growth of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability in z-pinch (PRS) implosions. They predict that initial mass distributions more complex than a simple annular shell will reduce instability development. Sanford (1996) reported experimental data showing a benefit for a uniform mass distribution compared to a shell; those tests used ''conventional'' load radii of 2.25 and 1.25 cm respectively, and implosion times under 100 ns. However, the instability problem is expected to grow exponentially as the implosion time, or alternatively the initial radius, increases. Thus we made a comparison of a uniform fill load with a shell but at larger radii, 3.6 and 2.5 cm respectively, and at implosion times well above 100 ns. We see nearly a factor of 10X improvement in peak K-shell power and 2X increase in K-shell yield for the uniform mass load. Hence it appears that suitable tailoring of the imploding mass distribution can significantly limit the instability growth

The non-linear growth of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Science.gov (United States)

Carlyle, Jack; Hillier, Andrew

2017-09-01

This work examines the effect of the embedded magnetic field strength on the non-linear development of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) (with a field-aligned interface) in an ideal gas close to the incompressible limit in three dimensions. Numerical experiments are conducted in a domain sufficiently large so as to allow the predicted critical modes to develop in a physically realistic manner. The ratio between gravity, which drives the instability in this case (as well as in several of the corresponding observations), and magnetic field strength is taken up to a ratio which accurately reflects that of observed astrophysical plasma, in order to allow comparison between the results of the simulations and the observational data which served as inspiration for this work. This study finds reduced non-linear growth of the rising bubbles of the RTI for stronger magnetic fields, and that this is directly due to the change in magnetic field strength, rather than the indirect effect of altering characteristic length scales with respect to domain size. By examining the growth of the falling spikes, the growth rate appears to be enhanced for the strongest magnetic field strengths, suggesting that rather than affecting the development of the system as a whole, increased magnetic field strengths in fact introduce an asymmetry to the system. Further investigation of this effect also revealed that the greater this asymmetry, the less efficiently the gravitational energy is released. By better understanding the under-studied regime of such a major phenomenon in astrophysics, deeper explanations for observations may be sought, and this work illustrates that the strength of magnetic fields in astrophysical plasmas influences observed RTI in subtle and complex ways.

Direct Numerical Simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livescu, D; Wei, T; Petersen, M R

2011-01-01

The development of the Rayleigh-Taylor mixing layer is studied using data from an extensive new set of Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS), performed on the 0.5 Petaflops, 150k compute cores BG/L Dawn supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This includes a suite of simulations with grid size of 1024 2 × 4608 and Atwood number ranging from 0.04 to 0.9, in order to examine small departures from the Boussinesq approximation as well as large Atwood number effects, and a high resolution simulation of grid size 4096 2 × 4032 and Atwood number of 0.75. After the layer width had developed substantially, additional branched simulations have been run under reversed and zero gravity conditions. While the bulk of the results will be published elsewhere, here we present preliminary results on: 1) the long-standing open question regarding the discrepancy between the numerically and experimentally measured mixing layer growth rates and 2) mixing characteristics.

Influence of gradual density transition and nonlinear saturation on Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, H.

1984-08-01

Linear theory of Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth at a density profile which varies exponentially between regions of constant density is discussed in detail. The exact theory provides an approximate but conservative simple formula for the growth constant and it shows that a hitherto widely used theory erroneously underestimates the growth constant. A simple but effective ''synthetical model'' of nonlinear bubble growth is obtained from a synthesis of linear theory and constant terminal bubble speed. It is applied to pusher shell break-up in an inertial confinement fusion pellet to determine the maximum allowable initial perturbations and the most dangerous wavelength. In a situation typical of heavy ion drivers it is found that the allowable initial perturbations are increased by a few orders of magnitude by the gradual density transition and another order of magnitude by nonlinear saturation of the bubble speed. The gradual density transition also shifts the most dangerous wavelength from about once to about four times the minimum pusher shell thickness. The following topics are treated briefly: Reasons conflicting with use of the synthetical model to decide whether the pusher shell in a certain simulation will be broken up; other nonlinear theories available in the literature; further realistic effects that might aggravate instability growth. (orig.) [de

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, N.K.

1987-01-01

This report summarises the main results of theoretical analysis on the problem of Rayleigh-Tylor instability in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Work presented in this report essentially covers four basic problems. Firstly, an analytical formulation to analyse the effects of plasma density inhomogeneities on the growth of the instability in plane geometry is presented. As a result of this analysis it is concluded that, for minimizing the growth rate of the instability, it may be advantageous to use the driver laser beams of higher irradiance and an optimum wave length in an ICF experiment. Secondly, a new formulation for the analysis of the instability in curved (cylindrical and spherical) geometries is presented. A general eigenvalue equation for the growth rate of the instability which is applicable for both plane and curved geometries is derived. A comparative study is made between the plane, cylindrical and spherical geometries. Also analytical expressions for the growth rates are obtained in the cases of spherical and cylindrical shell targets and their variations with respect to the aspect ratios of the shells are discussed. Thirdly, a semi-analytical analysis of the instability where the growth rate is obtained by solving numerically a (2N-1)x(2N-1) determinantal equation is presented. The semi-analytical analysis developed is applicable for the study of the growth of the instability in the present day multi-structured spherical shell targets. Finally, a dynamic analysis of the growth of the instability for a representative spherical solid target driven by laser beams symmetrically from all the sides is carried out numerically using a computer code developed for this purpose. This study confirms analytical predictions. Further, it is observed that an approximate analytical analysis with time independent density profile gives conservative estimates for the growth rate. In passing, the computer code is also used to estimate the pellet gain for spin

Investigation of single-mode and multi-mode hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in planar geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roderick, N.F.; Cochrane, K.; Douglas, M.R.

1998-01-01

Previous investigations carried out to study various methods of seeding the hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in magnetohydrodynamic simulations showed features similar to those seen in hydrodynamic calculations. For periodic single-mode initiations the results showed the appearance of harmonics as the single modes became nonlinear. For periodic multi-mode initiations new modes developed that indicated the presence of mode coupling. The MHD simulations used parameters of the high velocity large radius z-pinch experiments performed in the Z-accelerator at Sandia National Laboratories. The cylindrical convergent geometry and variable acceleration of these configurations made comparison with analytic, developed for planar geometry with constant acceleration, difficult. A set of calculations in planar geometry using constant current to produce acceleration and parameters characteristic of the cylindrical implosions has been performed to allow a better comparison. Results of these calculations, comparison with analytic theory, and comparison with the cylindrical configuration calculations will be discussed

Experimental Studies of the Electrothermal and Magneto-Rayleigh Taylor Instabilities on Thin Metal Foil Ablations

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, Adam; Yager-Elorriaga, David; Patel, Sonal; Jordan, Nicholas; Gilgenbach, Ronald; Lau, Y. Y.

2015-11-01

The electrothermal instability (ETI) and magneto-Rayleigh Taylor instability (MRT) are important in the implosion of metallic liners, such as magnetized liner implosion fusion (MagLIF). The MAIZE linear transformer driver (LTD) at the University of Michigan generates 200 ns risetime-current pulses of 500 to 600 kA into Al foil liners to study plasma instabilities and implosion dynamics, most recently MRT growth on imploding cylindrical liners. A full circuit model of MAIZE, along with I-V measurements, yields time-resolved load inductance. This has enabled measurements of an effective current-carrying radius to determine implosion velocity and plasma-vacuum interface acceleration. Measurements are also compared to implosion data from 4-time-frame laser shadowgraphy. Improved resolution measurements on the laser shadowgraph system have been used to examine the liner interface early in the shot to examine surface perturbations resulting from ETI for various seeding conditions. Fourier analysis examines the growth rates of wavelength bands of these structures to examine the transition from ETI to MRT. This work was supported by the U.S. DoE through award DE-SC0012328. S.G. Patel is supported by Sandia National Labs. D.A. Yager is supported by NSF fellowship grant DGE 1256260.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the deceleration phase of spherical implosion experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smalyuk, V.A.; Delettrez, J.A.; Goncharov, V.N.; Marshall, F.J.; Meyerhofer, D.D.; Regan, S.P.; Sangster, T.C.; Town, R.P.J.; Yaakobi, B.

2002-01-01

The temporal evolution of inner-shell modulations, unstable during the deceleration phase of a laser-driven spherical implosion, has been measured through K-edge imaging [B. Yaakobi et al., Phys. Plasmas 7, 3727 (2000)] of shells with titanium-doped layers. The main study was based on the implosions of 1 mm diam, 20 μm thick shells filled with either 18 atm or 4 atm of D 3 He gas driven with 23 kJ, 1 ns square laser pulses on OMEGA [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)]. These targets have similar modulation levels at the beginning of the deceleration phase due to similar modulation growths in the acceleration phase, but different modulation growths throughout the deceleration phase due to different fill pressures (convergence ratios). At peak compression, the measured inner surface, areal-density nonuniformity σ rms levels were 23±5 % for more-stable 18 atm fill targets and 53±11 % for less-stable 4 atm fill targets. The inner-surface modulations grow throughout the deceleration phase due to Rayleigh-Taylor instability and Bell-Plesset convergence effects. The nonuniformity at peak compression is sensitive to the initial perturbation level as measured in implosions with different laser-smoothing conditions

Stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability due to the spontaneous magnetic field in laser produced plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogasawara, Masatada; Takita, Masami.

1981-08-01

Spontaneous magnetic fields due to the temperature gradient nabla T 0 produced by a focussed laser beam on one point of a pellet are taken into account in deriving the dispersion relation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Growth rate γ decreases with time. Density fluctuation with wavelength shorter than 1.5(R/L sub(T)) x (n sub(s)/n 0 )sup(1/2) μm is remarkably stabilized, where R, L sub(T), n sub(s) and n 0 are the radius of a pellet, L sub(T)sup(-1) = + nabla T 0 /T 0 + , number densities of solid and the pellet. Validity condition of the theory is γt 0 >> 1 or in another form R >> L, where t 0 is the time of thermal expansion of a pellet and L -1 = + nabla n 0 /n 0 + . (author)

Dimensionality dependence of the Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instability late-time scaling laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oron, D.; Arazi, L.; Kartoon, D.; Rikanati, A.; Alon, U.; Shvarts, D.

2001-01-01

The late-time nonlinear evolution of the three-dimensional (3D) Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities for random initial perturbations is investigated. Using full 3D numerical simulations, a statistical mechanics bubble-competition model, and a Layzer-type drag-buoyancy model, it is shown that the RT scaling parameters, α B and α S , are similar in two and three dimensions, but the RM exponents, θ B and θ S are lower by a factor of 2 in three dimensions. The similarity parameter h B / is higher by a factor of 3 in the 3D case compared to the 2D case, in very good agreement with recent Linear Electric Motor (LEM) experiments. A simple drag-buoyancy model, similar to that proposed by Youngs [see J. C. V. Hanson et al., Laser Part. Beams 8, 51 (1990)], but using the coefficients from the A=1 Layzer model, rather than phenomenological ones, is introduced

Hot-spot dynamics and deceleration-phase Rayleigh-Taylor instability of imploding inertial confinement fusion capsules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betti, R.; Umansky, M.; Lobatchev, V.; Goncharov, V.N.; McCrory, R.L.

2001-01-01

A model for the deceleration phase of imploding inertial confinement fusion capsules is derived by solving the conservation equations for the hot spot. It is found that heat flux leaving the hot spot goes back in the form of internal energy and pdV work of the material ablated off the inner shell surface. Though the hot-spot temperature is reduced by the heat conduction losses, the hot-spot density increases due to the ablated material in such a way that the hot-spot pressure is approximately independent of heat conduction. For direct-drive National Ignition Facility-like capsules, the ablation velocity off the shell inner surface is of the order of tens μm/ns, the deceleration of the order of thousands μm/ns2, and the density-gradient scale length of the order a few μm. Using the well-established theory of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability, it is shown that the growth rates of the deceleration phase instability are significantly reduced by the finite ablative flow and the unstable spectrum exhibits a cutoff for mode numbers of about l≅90

Analytic theory of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a uniform density plasma-filled ion diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussey, T.W.; Payne, S.S.

1987-04-01

The J-vector x B-vector forces associated with the surface current of a plasma-filled ion diode will accelerate this plasma fill toward the anode surface. It is well known that such a configuration with a high I is susceptible to the hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in certain geometries. A number of ion diode plasma sources have been proposed, most of which have a falling density going away from the wall. A somewhat more unstable case, however, is that of uniform density. In this report we attempt to establish an upper limit on this effect with a simple analytic model in which a uniform-density plasma is accelerated by the magnetic field anticipated in a PBFA-II diode. We estimate the number of linear e-foldings experienced by an unstable surface as well as the most damaging wavelength initial perturbation. This model, which accounts approximately for stabilization due to field diffusion, suggests that even with a uniform fill, densities in excess of a few 10 15 are probably not damaged by the instability. In addition, even lower densities might be tolerated if perturbations near the most damaging wavelength can be kept very small

Role of parallel flow curvature on the mitigation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarmah, D.; Sen, S.; Cairns, R.A.

2001-01-01

The effect of a radially varying parallel equilibrium flow on the stability of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mode is studied analytically in the presence of a sheared magnetic field. It is shown that the parallel flow curvature can completely stabilize the RT mode. The flow curvature also has a robust effect on the radial structure of the mode. Possible implications of these theoretical findings to recent experiments are also discussed

Rayleigh-Taylor mixing with time-dependent acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Abarzhi, Snezhana

2016-10-01

We extend the momentum model to describe Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing driven by a time-dependent acceleration. The acceleration is a power-law function of time, similarly to astrophysical and plasma fusion applications. In RT flow the dynamics of a fluid parcel is driven by a balance per unit mass of the rates of momentum gain and loss. We find analytical solutions in the cases of balanced and imbalanced gains and losses, and identify their dependence on the acceleration exponent. The existence is shown of two typical regimes of self-similar RT mixing-acceleration-driven Rayleigh-Taylor-type and dissipation-driven Richtymer-Meshkov-type with the latter being in general non-universal. Possible scenarios are proposed for transitions from the balanced dynamics to the imbalanced self-similar dynamics. Scaling and correlations properties of RT mixing are studied on the basis of dimensional analysis. Departures are outlined of RT dynamics with time-dependent acceleration from canonical cases of homogeneous turbulence as well as blast waves with first and second kind self-similarity. The work is supported by the US National Science Foundation.

Scaling laws of nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in two and three dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shvarts, D.; Oron, D.; Kartoon, D.; Rikanati, A.; Sadot, O.; Srebro, Y.; Yedvab, Y.; Ofer, D.; Levin, A.; Sarid, E.; Shvarts, D.; Oron, D.; Kartoon, D.; Rikanati, A.; Sadot, O.; Srebro, Y.; Yedvab, Y.; Ben-Dor, G.; Erez, L.; Erez, G.; Yosef-Hai, A.; Alon, U.; Arazi, L.

2000-01-01

The late-time nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities for random initial perturbations is investigated using a statistical mechanics model based on single-mode and bubble-competition physics at al Atwood numbers (A) and full numerical simulations in two and three dimensions. It is shown that the RT mixing zone bubble and spike fronts evolve as h∼α.A.gt 2 with different values of α for the bubble and spike fronts. The RM mixing zone fronts evolve as h∼θ with different values of θ for bubbles and spikes. Similar analysis yields a linear growth with time of the Kelvin-Helmholtz mixing zone. The dependence of the RT and RM scaling parameters on A and the dimensionality will be discussed. The 3-D predictions are found to be in good agreement with recent Linear Electric Motor (LEM) experiments. (authors)

Initial value problem for Rayleigh--Taylor instability of viscous fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menikoff, R.; Mjolsness, R.C.; Sharp, D.H.; Zemach, C.; Doyle, B.J.

1978-01-01

The initial value problem associated with the development of small amplitude disturbances in Rayleigh--Taylor unstable, viscous, incompressible fluids is studied. Solutions to the linearized equations of motion which satisfy general initial conditions are obtained in terms of Fourier--Laplace transforms of the hydrodynamic variables, without restriction on the density or viscosity of either fluid. When the two fluids have equal kinematic viscosities, these transforms can be inverted explicitly to express the fluid variables as integrals of Green's functions multiplied by initial data. In addition to normal modes, a set of continuum modes, not treated explicitly in the literature, makes an important contribution to the development of the fluid motion

Fluid Instabilities of Magnetar-Powered Supernovae

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ke-Jung

2017-05-01

Magnetar-powered supernova explosions are competitive models for explaining very luminous optical transits. Until recently, these explosion models were mainly calculated in 1D. Radiation emitted from the magnetar snowplows into the previous supernovae ejecta and causes a nonphysical dense shell (spike) found in previous 1D studies. This suggests that strong fluid instabilities may have developed within the magnetar-powered supernovae. Such fluid instabilities emerge at the region where luminous transits later occur, so they can affect the consequent observational signatures. We examine the magnetar-powered supernovae with 2D hydrodynamics simulations and find that the 1D dense shell transforms into the development of Rayleigh-Taylor and thin shell instabilities in 2D. The resulting mixing is able to fragment the entire shell and break the spherical symmetry of supernovae ejecta.

Measurements of Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth in solid liners on the 20 MA Z facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bigman, Verle; Vesey, Roger Alan; Shores, Jonathon; Herrmann, Mark C.; Stamm, Robert; Killebrew, Korbie; Holt, Randy; Blue, Brent; Nakhleh, Charlie; McBride, Ryan D.; Leifeste, Gordon T.; Smith, Ian Craig; Stygar, William A.; Porter, John Larry Jr.; Cuneo, Michael Edward; Bennett, Guy R.; Schroen, Diana Grace; Sinars, Daniel Brian; Lopez, Mike R.; Slutz, Stephen A.; Atherton, Briggs W.; Tomlinson, Kurt; Edens, Aaron D.; Savage, Mark Edward; Peterson, Kyle J.

2010-01-01

The magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability is the most important instability for determining whether a cylindrical liner can be compressed to its axis in a relatively intact form, a requirement for achieving the high pressures needed for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and other high energy-density physics applications. While there are many published RT studies, there are a handful of well-characterized MRT experiments at time scales >1 (micro)s and none for 100 ns z-pinch implosions. Experiments used solid Al liners with outer radii of 3.16 mm and thicknesses of 292 (micro)m, dimensions similar to magnetically-driven ICF target designs (1). In most tests the MRT instability was seeded with sinusoidal perturbations (λ = 200, 400 (micro)m, peak-to-valley amplitudes of 10, 20 (micro)m, respectively), wavelengths similar to those predicted to dominate near stagnation. Radiographs show the evolution of the MRT instability and the effects of current-induced ablation of mass from the liner surface. Additional Al liner tests used 25-200 (micro)m wavelengths and flat surfaces. Codes being used to design magnetized liner ICF loads (1) match the features seen except at the smallest scales (<50 (micro)m). Recent experiments used Be liners to enable penetrating radiography using the same 6.151 keV diagnostics and provide an in-flight measurement of the liner density profile.

Thin layer model for nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, K. G.; Wang, L. F.; Xue, C.; Ye, W. H.; Wu, J. F.; Ding, Y. K.; Zhang, W. Y.

2018-03-01

On the basis of the thin layer approximation [Ott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 1429 (1972)], a revised thin layer model for incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability has been developed to describe the deformation and nonlinear evolution of the perturbed interface. The differential equations for motion are obtained by analyzing the forces (the gravity and pressure difference) of fluid elements (i.e., Newton's second law). The positions of the perturbed interface are obtained from the numerical solution of the motion equations. For the case of vacuum on both sides of the layer, the positions of the upper and lower interfaces obtained from the revised thin layer approximation agree with that from the weakly nonlinear (WN) model of a finite-thickness fluid layer [Wang et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 122710 (2014)]. For the case considering the fluids on both sides of the layer, the bubble-spike amplitude from the revised thin layer model agrees with that from the WN model [Wang et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 052305 (2010)] and the expanded Layzer's theory [Goncharov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 134502 (2002)] in the early nonlinear growth regime. Note that the revised thin layer model can be applied to investigate the perturbation growth at arbitrary Atwood numbers. In addition, the large deformation (the large perturbed amplitude and the arbitrary perturbed distributions) in the initial stage can also be described by the present model.

Influence of real gas effects on ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in plastic target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Zhengfeng; Xue Chuang; Ye Wenhua; Zhu Shaoping; Wang Lifeng

2011-01-01

In this research, real gas effects on ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability are investigated in a plastic target. The real gas effects are included by adopting the quotidian equation of state (QEOS) model. Theoretical solutions for both QEOS and ideal gas EOS are obtained and compared, based on a same set of ablation parameters. It is found that when real gas effects are considered, the density gradient becomes less steep than that of ideal gas assumption, even though this cannot be used directly to draw a stabilization conclusion for the real gas effects. Further analysis shows that when real gas effects are considered, lower ∂p/∂T in the dense shell region has the effect of stabilization, whereas the dependence of the internal energy on the density, lower specific heat (at constant volume) in the dense shell region, and higher specific heat in the low-density ablation region contribute to stronger destabilization effects. Overall, when real gas effects are considered, the destabilization effects are dominant for long wavelength perturbations, and the growth rates become much higher than the results of ideal gas assumption. In our specific case, the maximum relative error reaches 18%.

A numerical study of bubble interactions in Rayleigh--Taylor instability for compressible fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glimm, J.; Li, X.L.; Menikoff, R.; Sharp, D.H.; Zhang, Q.

1990-01-01

The late nonlinear and chaotic stage of Rayleigh--Taylor instability is characterized by the evolution of bubbles of the light fluid and spikes of the heavy fluid, each penetrating into the other phase. This paper is focused on the numerical study of bubble interactions and their effect on the statistical behavior and evolution of the bubble envelope. Compressible fluids described by the two-fluid Euler equations are considered and the front tracking method for numerical simulation of these equations is used. Two major phenomena are studied. One is the dynamics of the bubbles in a chaotic environment and the interaction among neighboring bubbles. Another one is the acceleration of the overall bubble envelope, which is a statistical consequence of the interactions of bubbles. The main result is a consistent analysis, at least in the approximately incompressible case of these two phenomena. The consistency encompasses the analysis of experiments, numerical simulation, simple theoretical models, and variation of parameters. Numerical simulation results that are in quantitative agreement with laboratory experiment for one-and-one-half (1 1/2) generations of bubble merger are presented. To the authors' knowledge, computations of this accuracy have not previously been obtained

Observation of the bremsstrahlung generation in the process of the Rayleigh endash Taylor instability development at gas puff implosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baksht, R.B.; Fedunin, A.V.; Labetsky, A.Y.; Rousskich, A.G.; Shishlov, A.V.

1997-01-01

The electron magnetohydrodynamic model predicts the appearance of anode endash cathode voltage in the process of Rayleigh endash Taylor instability development during gas puff implosions. The appearance of the anode endash cathode voltage should be accompanied by the accelerated electron flow and the generation of the bremsstrahlung radiation. Experiments with neon and krypton gas puffs were performed on the GIT-4 [S. P. Bugaev, et al., Plasma Sci. 18, 115 (1990)] generator (1.6 MA, 120 ns) to observe the bremsstrahlung radiation during the gas puff implosion. Two spikes of the bremsstrahlung radiation were observed in the experiments. The first spike is connected with the gas breakdown; the second one is connected with the final stage of the implosion. The development of the RT instabilities does not initiate the bremsstrahlung radiation, therefore, the absence of anode endash cathode voltage is demonstrated. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Rayleigh-Taylor mixing with space-dependent acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Abarzhi, Snezhana

2016-11-01

We extend the momentum model to describe Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing driven by a space-dependent acceleration. The acceleration is a power-law function of space coordinate, similarly to astrophysical and plasma fusion applications. In RT flow the dynamics of a fluid parcel is driven by a balance per unit mass of the rates of momentum gain and loss. We find analytical solutions in the cases of balanced and imbalanced gains and losses, and identify their dependence on the acceleration exponent. The existence is shown of two typical sub-regimes of self-similar RT mixing - the acceleration-driven Rayleigh-Taylor-type mixing and dissipation-driven Richtymer-Meshkov-type mixing with the latter being in general non-universal. Possible scenarios are proposed for transitions from the balanced dynamics to the imbalanced self-similar dynamics. Scaling and correlations properties of RT mixing are studied on the basis of dimensional analysis. Departures are outlined of RT dynamics with space-dependent acceleration from canonical cases of homogeneous turbulence as well as blast waves with first and second kind self-similarity. The work is supported by the US National Science Foundation.

Experimental techniques for measuring Rayleigh-Taylor instability in inertial confinement fusion (ICF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smalyuk, V A

2012-06-07

Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is one of the major concerns in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) because it amplifies target modulations in both acceleration and deceleration phases of implosion, which leads to shell disruption and performance degradation of imploding targets. This article reviews experimental results of the RT growth experiments performed on OMEGA laser system, where targets were driven directly with laser light. RT instability was studied in the linear and nonlinear regimes. The experiments were performed in acceleration phase, using planar and spherical targets, and in deceleration phase of spherical implosions, using spherical shells. Initial target modulations consisted of 2-D pre-imposed modulations, and 2-D and 3-D modulations imprinted on targets by the non-uniformities in laser drive. In planar geometry, the nonlinear regime was studied using 3-D modulations with broadband spectra near nonlinear saturation levels. In acceleration-phase, the measured modulation Fourier spectra and nonlinear growth velocities are in good agreement with those predicted by Haan's model [Haan S W 1989 Phys. Rev. A 39 5812]. In a real-space analysis, the bubble merger was quantified by a self-similar evolution of bubble size distributions [Oron D et al 2001 Phys. Plasmas 8, 2883]. The 3-D, inner-surface modulations were measured to grow throughout the deceleration phase of spherical implosions. RT growth rates are very sensitive to the drive conditions, therefore they can be used to test and validate drive physics in hydrodynamic codes used to design ICF implosions. Measured growth rates of pre-imposed 2-D target modulations below nonlinear saturation levels were used to validate non-local thermal electron transport model in laser-driven experiments.

A scheme for reducing deceleration-phase Rayleigh-Taylor growth in inertial confinement fusion implosions

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L. F.; Ye, W. H.; Wu, J. F.; Liu, Jie; Zhang, W. Y.; He, X. T.

2016-05-01

It is demonstrated that the growth of acceleration-phase instabilities in inertial confinement fusion implosions can be controlled, especially in the high-foot implosions [O. A. Hurricane et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 056314 (2014)] on the National Ignition Facility. However, the excessive growth of the deceleration-phase instabilities can still destroy the hot spot ignition. A scheme is proposed to retard the deceleration-phase Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth by shock collision near the waist of the inner shell surface. Two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations confirm the improved deceleration-phase hot spot stability properties without sacrificing the fuel compression.

A review of the ablative stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in regimes relevant to Inertial Confinement Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilkenny, J.D.; Glendinning, S.G.; Haan, S.W.

1993-12-01

It has been recognized for many year's that the most significant limitation of ICF is the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability. It limits the distance an ablatively driven shell can be moved to several times its initial thickness. Fortunately material flow through the unstable region at velocity v A reduces the growth rate to √ 1+kL / kg -βkv A with β from 2-3. In recent years experiments using both x-ray drive and smoothed laser drive to accelerate foils have confirmed our understanding of the ablative R-T instability in planar geometry. The growth of small initial modulations on the foils is measured for growth factors up to 60 for direct drive and 80 for indirect drive. For x-ray drive large stabilization is evident. After some growth, the instability enters the non-linear phase when mode coupling and saturation are also seen and compare well with modeling. Normalized growth rates for direct drive are measured to be higher, but strategies for reduction by raising the isentrope are being investigated. For direct drive, high spatial frequencies are imprinted from the laser beam and amplified by the R-T instability. Modeling shows an understanding of this ''laser imprinting.''

Rayleigh-Taylor instability under curved substrates: An optimal transient growth analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Balestra, Gioele; Brun, P.-T.; Gallaire, François

2016-12-01

We investigate the stability of thin viscous films coated on the inside of a horizontal cylindrical substrate. In such a case, gravity acts both as a stabilizing force through the progressive drainage of the film and as a destabilizing force prone to form droplets via the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The drainage solution, derived from lubrication equations, is found asymptotically stable with respect to infinitesimally small perturbations, although in reality, droplets often form. To resolve this paradox, we perform an optimal transient growth analysis for the first-order perturbations of the liquid's interface, generalizing the results of Trinh et al. [Phys. Fluids 26, 051704 (2014), 10.1063/1.4876476]. We find that the system displays a linear transient growth potential that gives rise to two different scenarios depending on the value of the Bond number (prescribing the relative importance of gravity and surface tension forces). At low Bond numbers, the optimal perturbation of the interface does not generate droplets. In contrast, for higher Bond numbers, perturbations on the upper hemicircle yield gains large enough to potentially form droplets. The gain increases exponentially with the Bond number. In particular, depending on the amplitude of the initial perturbation, we find a critical Bond number above which the short-time linear growth is sufficient to trigger the nonlinear effects required to form dripping droplets. We conclude that the transition to droplets detaching from the substrate is noise and perturbation dependent.

Weakly nonlinear incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth at cylindrically convergent interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L. F.; He, X. T.; Wu, J. F.; Zhang, W. Y.; Ye, W. H.

2013-01-01

A weakly nonlinear (WN) model has been developed for the incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in cylindrical geometry. The transition from linear to nonlinear growth is analytically investigated via a third-order solutions for the cylindrical RTI initiated by a single-mode velocity perturbation. The third-order solutions can depict the early stage of the interface asymmetry due to the bubble-spike formation, as well as the saturation of the linear (exponential) growth of the fundamental mode. The WN results in planar RTI [Wang et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 112706 (2012)] are recovered in the limit of high-mode number perturbations. The difference between the WN growth of the RTI in cylindrical geometry and in planar geometry is discussed. It is found that the interface of the inward (outward) development spike/bubble is extruded (stretched) by the additional inertial force in cylindrical geometry compared with that in planar geometry. For interfaces with small density ratios, the inward growth bubble can grow fast than the outward growth spike in cylindrical RTI. Moreover, a reduced formula is proposed to describe the WN growth of the RTI in cylindrical geometry with an acceptable precision, especially for small-amplitude perturbations. Using the reduced formula, the nonlinear saturation amplitude of the fundamental mode and the phases of the Fourier harmonics are studied. Thus, it should be included in applications where converging geometry effects play an important role, such as the supernova explosions and inertial confinement fusion implosions.

The analysis of harmonic generation coefficients in the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yan; Fan, Zhengfeng; Lu, Xinpei; Ye, Wenhua; Zou, Changlin; Zhang, Ziyun; Zhang, Wen

2017-10-01

In this research, we use the numerical simulation method to investigate the generation coefficients of the first three harmonics and the zeroth harmonic in the Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability. It is shown that the interface shifts to the low temperature side during the ablation process. In consideration of the third-order perturbation theory, the first three harmonic amplitudes of the weakly nonlinear regime are calculated and then the harmonic generation coefficients are obtained by curve fitting. The simulation results show that the harmonic generation coefficients changed with time and wavelength. Using the higher-order perturbation theory, we find that more and more harmonics are generated in the later weakly nonlinear stage, which is caused by the negative feedback of the later higher harmonics. Furthermore, extending the third-order theory to the fifth-order theory, we find that the second and the third harmonics coefficients linearly depend on the wavelength, while the feedback coefficients are almost constant. Further analysis also shows that when the fifth-order theory is considered, the normalized effective amplitudes of second and third harmonics can reach about 25%-40%, which are only 15%-25% in the frame of the previous third-order theory. Therefore, the third order perturbation theory is needed to be modified by the higher-order theory when ηL reaches about 20% of the perturbation wavelength.

Numerical investigation on the effects of acceleration reversal times in Rayleigh-Taylor Instability with multiple reversals

Science.gov (United States)

Farley, Zachary; Aslangil, Denis; Banerjee, Arindam; Lawrie, Andrew G. W.

2017-11-01

An implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) code, MOBILE, is used to explore the growth rate of the mixing layer width of the acceleration-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) under variable acceleration histories. The sets of computations performed consist of a series of accel-decel-accel (ADA) cases in addition to baseline constant acceleration and accel-decel (AD) cases. The ADA cases are a series of varied times for the second acceleration reversal (t2) and show drastic differences in the growth rates. Upon the deceleration phase, the kinetic energy of the flow is shifted into internal wavelike patterns. These waves are evidenced by the examined differences in growth rate in the second acceleration phase for the set of ADA cases. Here, we investigate global parameters that include mixing width, growth rates and the anisotropy tensor for the kinetic energy to better understand the behavior of the growth during the re-acceleration period. Authors acknowledge financial support from DOE-SSAA (DE-NA0003195) and NSF CAREER (#1453056) awards.

Multiple eigenmodes of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability observed for a fluid interface with smoothly varying density

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, C. X.; Xue, C.; Liu, J.; Hu, X. Y.; Liu, Y. Y.; Ye, W. H.; Wang, L. F.; Wu, J. F.; Fan, Z. F.

2018-01-01

In this article, multiple eigen-systems including linear growth rates and eigen-functions have been discovered for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) by numerically solving the Sturm-Liouville eigen-value problem in the case of two-dimensional plane geometry. The system called the first mode has the maximal linear growth rate and is just extensively studied in literature. Higher modes have smaller eigen-values, but possess multi-peak eigen-functions which bring on multiple pairs of vortices in the vorticity field. A general fitting expression for the first four eigen-modes is presented. Direct numerical simulations show that high modes lead to appearances of multi-layered spike-bubble pairs, and lots of secondary spikes and bubbles are also generated due to the interactions between internal spikes and bubbles. The present work has potential applications in many research and engineering areas, e.g., in reducing the RTI growth during capsule implosions in inertial confinement fusion.

The effect of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities on the thickness of undifferentiated crust on Kuiper Belt Objects

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Mark E.; Desch, Steven J.; Neveu, Marc

2014-07-01

Previous calculations of the internal structure and thermal evolution of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) by Desch et al. (Desch, S.J., Cook, J.C., Doggett, T.C., Porter, S.B. [2009]. Icarus 202, 694-714) have predicted that KBOs should only partially differentiate, with rock and ice separating into a rocky core and icy mantle, below an undifferentiated crust of ice and rock. This crust is thermally insulating and enhances the ability of subsurface liquid to persist within KBOs. A dense rock/ice layer resting on an icy mantle is gravitationally unstable and prone to Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities, and may potentially overturn. Here we calculate the ability of RT instabilities to act in KBOs, and determine the thickness of undifferentiated crusts. We have used previously calculated growth rates of the RT instability to determine the critical viscosity of ice needed for the RT instability to operate. We calculate the viscosity of ice at the cold temperatures and long timescales relevant to KBOs. We find that crustal overturn is only possible where the temperature exceeds about 150 K, and that RT instabilities cannot act on geological timescales within about 60 km of the surfaces of a KBO like Charon. Although this crustal thickness is less than the 85 km previously calculated by Desch et al. (Desch, S.J., Cook, J.C., Doggett, T.C., Porter, S.B. [2009]. Icarus 202, 694-714), it is still significant, representing ≈25% of the mass of the KBO. We conclude that while RT instabilities may act in KBOs, they do not completely overturn their crusts. We calculate that Saturn’s moon Rhea should only partially differentiate, resulting in a moment of inertia C/MR2≈0.38.

Saturation and postsaturation phenomena of Rayleigh-Taylor instability with adjacent modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikegawa, Tadashi; Nishihara, Katsunobu

2003-01-01

A weakly nonlinear theory has been developed for the classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability with a finite bandwidth taken into account self-consistently. The theory includes up to third order nonlinearity, which results in the saturation of linear growth and determines subsequent weakly nonlinear growth. Analytical results are shown to agree fairly well with two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations. There are generally many local peaks of a perturbation with a finite bandwidth due to the interference of modes. Since a local amplitude is determined from phases among the modes as well as the bandwidth, we have investigated an onset of the linear growth saturation and the subsequent weakly nonlinear growth for different bandwidths and phases. It is shown that the saturation of the linear growth occurs locally, i.e., each of the local maximum amplitudes (LMAs) grows exponentially until it reaches almost the same saturation amplitude. In the random phase case, the root mean square amplitude thus saturates with almost the same amplitude as the LMA, after most of the LMAs have saturated. The saturation amplitude of the LMA is found to be independent of the bandwidth and depends on the Atwood number. We derive a formula of the saturation amplitude of modes based on the results obtained, and discuss its relation with Haan's formula [Phys. Rev. A 39, 5812 (1989)]. The LMAs grow linearly in time after the saturation and their speeds are approximated by the product of the linear growth rate and the saturation amplitude. We investigate the Atwood number dependence of both the saturation amplitude and the weakly nonlinear growth

An Experimental Study of the Turbulent Development of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, Jeffrey W.

2006-01-01

The objective of this three-year research program is to study the development of turbulence in Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities. Incompressible RT and RM instabilities are studied in an apparatus in which a box containing two unequal density liquids is accelerated on a linear rail system either impulsively (by bouncing it off of a spring) to produce RM instability, or at a constant downward rate (using a weight and pulley system) to produce RT instability. These experiments are distinguished from others in the field in that they are initialized with well defined, measurable initial perturbations and are well visualized utilizing planar laser induced fluorescence imaging. New experiments are proposed aimed at generating fully turbulent RM and RT instabilities and quantifying the turbulent development once fully turbulent flows are achieved. The proposed experiments focus on the development and the subsequent application of techniques to accelerate the production of fully turbulent instabilities and the quantification of the turbulent instabilities once they are achieved. The proposed tasks include: the development of RM and RT experiments utilizing fluid combinations having larger density ratios than those previously used; the development of RM experiments with larger acceleration impulse than that previously used; and the investigation of the multi-mode and three-dimensional instabilities by the development of new techniques for generating short wavelength initial perturbations. Progress towards fulfilling these goals is currently well on track. Recent results have been obtained on experiments that utilize Faraday resonance for the production of a nearly single-mode three-dimensional perturbation with a short enough wavelength to yield a self-similar instability at late-times. Last year we reported that we can reliably generate Faraday internal waves on the interface in our experimental apparatus by oscillating the tank containing the

Design and implementation plan for indirect-drive highly nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability experiments on the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casner, A.; Masse, L.; Delorme, B.; Jacquet, L.; Liberatore, S.; Smalyuk, V.; Martinez, D.; Seugling, R.; Park, H.S.; Remington, B.A.; Moore, A.; Igumenshev, I.; Chicanne, C.

2013-01-01

In the context of National Ignition Facility Basic Science program we propose to study on the NIF ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in transition from weakly nonlinear to highly nonlinear regimes. Based on the analogy between flame front and ablation front, highly nonlinear RT instability measurements at the ablation front can provide important insights into the initial deflagration stage of thermonuclear supernovae of type Ia. NIF provides a unique platform to study the rich physics of nonlinear and turbulent mixing flows in High Energy Density plasmas because it can accelerate targets over much larger distances and longer time periods than previously achieved on the NOVA and OMEGA lasers. In one shot, growth of RT modulations can be measured from the weakly nonlinear stage near nonlinear saturation levels to the highly nonlinear bubble-competition, bubble-merger regimes and perhaps into a turbulent-like regime. The role of ablation on highly-nonlinear RT instability evolution will be comprehensively studied by varying ablation velocity using indirect and direct-drive platforms. We present a detailed hydro-code design of the indirect-drive platform and discuss the implementation plan for these experiments which only use NIF diagnostics already qualified. (authors)

Experimental study on ablative stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability of laser-irradiated targets

Science.gov (United States)

Shigemori, Keisuke; Sakaiya, Tatsuhiko; Otani, Kazuto; Fujioka, Shinsuke; Nakai, Mitsuo; Azechi, Hiroshi; Shiraga, Hiroyuki; Tamari, Yohei; Okuno, Kazuki; Sunahara, Atsushi; Nagatomo, Hideo; Murakami, Masakatsu; Nishihara, Katsunobu; Izawa, Yasukazu

2004-09-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities are key issues of the physics of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets. Among the instabilities, Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is the most important because it gives the largest growth factor in the ICF targets. Perturbations on the laser irradiated surface grow exponentially, but the growth rate is reduced by ablation flow. The growth rate γ is written as Takabe-Betti formula: γ = [kg/(1+kL)]1/2-βkm/pa, where k is wave number of the perturbation, g is acceleration, L is density scale-length, β is a coefficient, m is mass ablation rate per unit surface, and ρa is density at the ablation front. We experimentally measured all the parameters in the formula for polystyrene (CH) targets. Experiments were done on the HIPER laser facility at Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University. We found that the β value in the formula is ~ 1.7, which is in good agreements with the theoretical prediction, whereas the β for certain perturbation wavelengths are larger than the prediction. This disagreement between the experiment and the theory is mainly due to the deformation of the cutoff surface, which is created by non-uniform ablation flow from the ablation surface. We also found that high-Z doped plastic targets have multiablation structure, which can reduce the RT growth rate. When a low-Z target with high-Z dopant is irradiated by laser, radiation due to the high-Z dopant creates secondary ablation front deep inside the target. Since, the secondary ablation front is ablated by x-rays, the mass ablation rate is larger than the laser-irradiated ablation surface, that is, further reduction of the RT growth is expected. We measured the RT growth rate of Br-doped polystyrene targets. The experimental results indicate that of the CHBr targets show significantly small growth rate, which is very good news for the design of the ICF targets.

Taylor instability in rhyolite lava flows

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, B. A.; Krantz, W. B.; Fink, J. H.; Dickinson, R. E.

1989-01-01

A refined Taylor instability model is developed to describe the surface morphology of rhyolite lava flows. The effect of the downslope flow of the lava on the structures resulting from the Taylor instability mechanism is considered. Squire's (1933) transformation is developed for this flow in order to extend the results to three-dimensional modes. This permits assessing why ridges thought to arise from the Taylor instability mechanism are preferentially oriented transverse to the direction of lava flow. Measured diapir and ridge spacings for the Little and Big Glass Mountain rhyolite flows in northern California are used in conjunction with the model in order to explore the implications of the Taylor instability for flow emplacement. The model suggests additional lava flow features that can be measured in order to test whether the Taylor instability mechanism has influenced the flows surface morphology.

Designing cylindrical implosion experiments on NIF to study deceleration phase of Rayleigh-Taylor

Science.gov (United States)

Vazirani, N.; Kline, J. L.; Loomis, E.; Sauppe, J. P.; Palaniyappan, S.; Flippo, K.; Srinivasan, B.; Malka, E.; Bose, A.; Shvarts, D.

2017-10-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) hydrodynamic instability occurs when a lower density fluid pushes on a higher density fluid. This occurs in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions at each of the capsule interfaces during the initial acceleration and the deceleration as it stagnates. The RT instabilities mix capsule material into the fusion fuel degrading the Deuterium-Tritium reactivity and ultimately play a key role in limiting target performance. While significant effort has focused on understanding RT at the outer capsule surface, little work has gone into understanding the inner surface RT instability growth during the deceleration phase. Direct measurements of the RT instability are difficult to make at high convergence in a spherical implosion. Here we present the design of a cylindrical implosion system for the National Ignition Facility for studying deceleration phase RT. We will discuss the experimental design, the estimated instability growth, and our outstanding concerns.

Ablation front rayleigh taylor dispersion curve in indirect drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budil, K.S.; Lasinski, B.; Edwards, M.J.; Wan, A.S.; Remington, B.A.; Weber, S.V.; Glendinning, S.G.; Suter, L.; Stry, P.

2000-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability, which occurs when a lower-density fluid accelerates a higher-density layer, is common in nature. At an ablation front a sharp reduction in the growth rate of the instability at short wave-lengths can occur, in marked contrast to the classical case where growth rates are highest at the shortest wavelengths. Theoretical and numerical investigations of the ablative RT instability are numerous and differ considerably on the level of stabilization expected. We present here the results of a series of laser experiments designed to probe the roll-over and cutoff region of the ablation-front RT dispersion curve in indirect drive. Aluminum foils with imposed sinusoidal perturbations ranging in wavelength from 10 to 70 pm were ablatively accelerated with a radiation drive generated in a gold cylindrical hohlraum. A strong shock wave compresses the package followed by an ∼2 ns period of roughly constant acceleration and the experiment is diagnosed via face-on radiography. Perturbations with wavelengths (ge) 20 (micro)m experienced substantial growth during the acceleration phase while shorter wavelengths showed a sharp drop off in overall growth. These experimental results compared favorably to calculations with a 2-D radiation-hydrodynamics code, however, the growth is significantly affected by the rippled shock launched by the drive. We performed numerical simulations to elucidate the influence of the rippled shock wave on the eventual growth of the perturbations, allowing comparisons to the analytic model developed by Betti et al. This combination of experiments, simulations and analytic modeling illustrates the qualitative simplicity yet quantitative complexity of the compressible RT instability. We have measured the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) dispersion curve for a radiatively-driven sample in a series of experiments on the Nova laser facility. Planar aluminum foils were ablatively-accelerated and the subsequent perturbation growth was

Contribution to modelization and simulation of the ablative-like Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities for ICF; Contribution a la modelisation et a la simulation des instabilites de type Rayleigh-Taylor ablatif pour la FCI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Egly, H

2007-10-15

This thesis deals with the dynamics of accelerated ablative front spreading in Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments. ICF is designed for the implosion of a deuterium-tritium spherical target. The outer shell, the ablator, is irradiated providing a high level pressure inside the target. During this first stage, the ablation front propagating inwards is perturbed by hydrodynamics instabilities, which can prevent the fusion reaction in the decelerated stage. We propose here a study on Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities during ablation process, in the two dimensional case. In order to obtain a numerical solution, we perform an asymptotic analysis in the limit of a high temperature ratio, between the remaining cold ablator and the hot ablated plasma. This study is divided in two steps. First, the thermo-diffusive part of the set of equations is approximated by a Hele-Shaw model, which is then perturbed by the hydrodynamics part. Using a vortex method, we have to solve the advection of a vortical sheet moving with the ablation front. We compute the numerical solution on an Eulerian mesh coupled with a marker method. The thermal part is computed by implementing the Fat Boundary Method, recently developed. The hydrodynamic part is obtained from a Finite Volume scheme. (author)

A variable-coefficient unstable nonlinear Schroedinger model for the electron beam plasmas and Rayleigh-Taylor instability in nonuniform plasmas: Solutions and observable effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Yitian; Tian Bo

2003-01-01

A variable-coefficient unstable nonlinear Schroedinger model is hereby investigated, which arises in such applications as the electron-beam plasma waves and Rayleigh-Taylor instability in nonuniform plasmas. With computerized symbolic computation, families of exact analytic dark- and bright-soliton-like solutions are found, of which some previously published solutions turn out to be the special cases. Similarity solutions also come out, which are expressible in terms of the elliptic functions and the second Painleve transcendent. Some observable effects caused by the variable coefficient are predicted, which may be detected in the future with the relevant space or laboratory plasma experiments with nonuniform background existing

Power Laws and Similarity of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov Mixing Fronts at All Density Ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alon, U.; Hecht, J.; Ofer, D.; Shvarts, D.

1995-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of large structure in Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov bubble and spike fronts is studied numerically and explained theoretically on the basis of single-mode and two-bubble interaction physics at Atwood numbers (A). Multimode Rayleigh-Taylor bubble (spike) fronts are found as h B =α B Agt 2 [h s =α s (A)gt 2 ] with α B =0.05, while Richtmyer-Meshkov bubble (spike) fronts are found as h B =a B t θ B (h s =a s t θ s (A) ) with θ B =0.4 at all A's. The dependence of these scaling laws and parameters on A and on initial conditions is explained

Development of surface perturbation target and thin silicon foil target used to research Rayleigh-Taylor instability in inertial confinement fusion experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Bin; Sun Qi; Huang Yaodong; Shen Jun; Wu Guangming; Wang Jue

2004-01-01

The developments of the surface perturbation target and the thin silicon foil target used to research Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the resolved experiments of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) are carried out. Based on the laser interference process combined with the figure-transfer process, the surface perturbation target with sine modulated perturbation is gotten, the wavelength is in the range of 20-100 μm and the amplitude is several micrometers. The thin silicon foil within the thickness about 3-4 μm is prepared by semiconductor process together with heavy-doped self-stop etching. Combined with ion beam etching, the check or the stripe patterns are transferred to the surface of thin silicon foils, and then the silicon grating foil is obtained

Rayleigh-Taylor convective overturn in stellar collapse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruenn, S.W.; Buchler, J.R.; Livio, M.

1979-01-01

Rayleigh--Taylor convective overturn in collapsing stellar cores is modeled with a one-dimensional parametrization. The results of a numerical hydrodynamic study are very encouraging and indicate that such an overturn could well be a dominant feature in the supernova explosion mechanism

Design for solid-state Rayleigh-Taylor experiments in tantalum at Omega

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollaine, S M; Remington, B A; Park, H S; Prisbrey, S T; Cavallo, R M

2010-01-01

We have designed an experiment for the Omega - EP laser facility to measure the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) growth rate of solid-state Ta samples at ∼1 Mbar pressures and very high strain rates, 10 7 -10 8 s -1 . A thin walled, hohlraum based, ramp-wave, quasi-isentropic drive has been developed for this experiment. Thick samples (∼50 um) of Ta, with a pre-imposed sinusoidal rippled on the driven side, will be accelerated. The ripple growth due to the RT instability is greatly reduced due to the dynamic material strength. We will show detailed designs, and a thorough error analysis used to optimize the experiment and minimize uncertainty.

Density gradient effects in weakly nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L. F.; Ye, W. H.; He, X. T.

2012-01-01

In this research, density gradient effects (i.e., finite thickness of ablation front effects) in ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (ARTI), in the presence of preheating within the weakly nonlinear regime, are investigated numerically. We analyze the weak, medium, and strong ablation surfaces which have different isodensity contours, respectively, to study the influences of finite thickness of ablation front on the weakly nonlinear behaviors of ARTI. Linear growth rates, generation coefficients of the second and the third harmonics, and coefficients of the third-order feedback to the fundamental mode are obtained. It is found that the linear growth rate which has a remarkable maximum, is reduced, especially when the perturbation wavelength λ is short and a cut-off perturbation wavelength λ c appears when the perturbation wavelength λ is sufficiently short, where no higher harmonics exists when λ c . The phenomenon of third-order positive feedback to the fundamental mode near the λ c [J. Sanz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 195002 (2002); J. Garnier et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 185003 (2003); J. Garnier and L. Masse, Phys. Plasmas 12, 062707 (2005)] is confirmed in numerical simulations, and the physical mechanism of the third-order positive feedback is qualitatively discussed. Moreover, it is found that generations and growths of the second and the third harmonics are stabilized (suppressed and reduced) by the ablation effect. Meanwhile, the third-order negative feedback to the fundamental mode is also reduced by the ablation effect, and hence, the linear saturation amplitude (typically ∼0.2λ in our simulations) is increased significantly and therefore exceeds the classical prediction 0.1λ, especially for the strong ablation surface with a small perturbation wavelength. Overall, the ablation effect stabilizes the ARTI in the weakly nonlinear regime. Numerical results obtained are in general agreement with the recent weakly nonlinear theories and simulations

Experimental characterization of initial conditions and spatio-temporal evolution of a small Atwood number Rayleigh-Taylor mixing layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueschke, N J; Andrews, M J; Schilling, O

2005-09-26

The initial multi-mode interfacial velocity and density perturbations present at the onset of a small Atwood number, incompressible, miscible, Rayleigh-Taylor instability-driven mixing layer have been quantified using a combination of experimental techniques. The streamwise interfacial and spanwise interfacial perturbations were measured using high-resolution thermocouples and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), respectively. The initial multi-mode streamwise velocity perturbations at the two-fluid density interface were measured using particle-image velocimetry (PIV). It was found that the measured initial conditions describe an initially anisotropic state, in which the perturbations in the streamwise and spanwise directions are independent of one another. The evolution of various fluctuating velocity and density statistics, together with velocity and density variance spectra, were measured using PIV and high-resolution thermocouple data. The evolution of the velocity and density statistics is used to investigate the early-time evolution and the onset of strongly-nonlinear, transitional dynamics within the mixing layer. The early-time evolution of the density and vertical velocity variance spectra indicate that velocity fluctuations are the dominant mechanism driving the instability development. The implications of the present experimental measurements on the initialization of Reynolds-averaged turbulent transport and mixing models and of direct and large-eddy simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor instability-induced turbulence are discussed.

A heuristic model for the nonlinear Rayleigh--Taylor instability in fast Z pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussey, T.W.; Roderick, N.F.; Shumlak, U.; Spielman, R.B.; Deeney, C.

1995-01-01

A simple, heuristic model for the early nonlinear phase of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability (RTI) in thin-cylindrical-shell Z-pinch implosions has been developed. This model is based on the fact that, as the field--plasma interface is deformed, there is a component of the applied force that acts to move mass from the low mass per unit area bubble region into the higher mass per unit area spike region. The resulting reduced mass per unit area of the bubble causes it to be preferentially accelerated ahead of the spike. The pinch begins to radiate as the bubble mass first reaches the axis, and it continues to radiate while the mass that is entrained within the spikes and within unperturbed parts of the shell also arrives on axis. This model relates the time at which the bubble arrives on axis to an initial wavelength and amplitude of a single mode of the RTI. Then, by comparing this to the time at which the unperturbed mass reaches the axis, one estimates pinch thermalization time, a quantity that is determined experimentally. Experimental data, together with analytic models, have been used to choose appropriate initial wavelength and amplitude both for foils and for certain gas puff implosions. By noting that thermalization time is a weak function of these parameters, it is argued that one may use the same values for an extrapolative study of qualitatively similar implosions

Interface width effect on the classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the weakly nonlinear regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L. F.; Ye, W. H.; Li, Y. J.

2010-01-01

In this paper, the interface width effects (i.e., the density gradient effects or the density transition layer effects) on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in the weakly nonlinear (WN) regime are investigated by numerical simulation (NS). It is found that the interface width effects dramatically influence the linear growth rate in the linear growth regime and the mode coupling process in the WN growth regime. First, the interface width effects decrease the linear growth rate of the RTI, particularly for the short perturbation wavelengths. Second, the interface width effects suppress (reduce) the third-order feedback to the fundamental mode, which induces the nonlinear saturation amplitude (NSA) to exceed the classical prediction, 0.1λ. The wider the density transition layer is, the larger the NSA is. The NSA in our NS can reach a half of its perturbation wavelength. Finally, the interface width effects suppress the generation and the growth of the second and the third harmonics. The ability to suppress the harmonics' growth increases with the interface width but decreases with the perturbation wavelength. On the whole, in the WN regime, the interface width effects stabilize the RTI, except for an enhancement of the NSA, which is expected to improve the understanding of the formation mechanism for the astrophysical jets, and for the jetlike long spikes in the high energy density physics.

Formation of large-scale structures with sharp density gradient through Rayleigh-Taylor growth in a two-dimensional slab under the two-fluid and finite Larmor radius effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, R.; Hatori, T.; Miura, H.; Ito, A.; Sato, M.

2015-01-01

Two-fluid and the finite Larmor effects on linear and nonlinear growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a two-dimensional slab are studied numerically with special attention to high-wave-number dynamics and nonlinear structure formation at a low β-value. The two effects stabilize the unstable high wave number modes for a certain range of the β-value. In nonlinear simulations, the absence of the high wave number modes in the linear stage leads to the formation of the density field structure much larger than that in the single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic simulation, together with a sharp density gradient as well as a large velocity difference. The formation of the sharp velocity difference leads to a subsequent Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instability only when both the two-fluid and finite Larmor radius terms are incorporated, whereas it is not observed otherwise. It is shown that the emergence of the secondary instability can modify the outline of the turbulent structures associated with the primary Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Rayleigh-Taylor growth measurements of three-dimensional modulations in a nonlinear regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smalyuk, V.A.; Sadot, O.; Betti, R.; Goncharov, V.N.; Delettrez, J.A.; Meyerhofer, D.D.; Regan, S.P.; Sangster, T.C.; Shvarts, D.

2006-01-01

An understanding of the nonlinear evolution of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is essential in inertial confinement fusion and astrophysics. The nonlinear RT growth of three-dimensional (3-D) broadband nonuniformities was measured near saturation levels using x-ray radiography in planar foils accelerated by laser light. The initial 3-D target modulations were seeded by laser nonuniformities and subsequently amplified by the RT instability. The measured modulation Fourier spectra and nonlinear growth velocities are in excellent agreement with those predicted by Haan's model [S. Haan, Phys. Rev. A 39, 5812 (1989)]. These spectra and growth velocities are insensitive to initial conditions. In a real-space analysis, the bubble merger was quantified by a self-similar evolution of bubble size distributions, in agreement with the Alon-Oron-Shvarts theoretical predictions [D. Oron et al. Phys. Plasmas 8, 2883 (2001)

Effect of initial conditions on two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability and transition to turbulence in planar blast-wave-driven systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miles, A.R.; Edwards, M.J.; Greenough, J.A.

2004-01-01

Perturbations on an interface driven by a strong blast wave grow in time due to a combination of Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and decompression effects. In this paper, the results from a computational study of such a system under drive conditions to be attainable on the National Ignition Facility [E. M. Campbell, Laser Part. Beams 9, 209 (1991)] are presented. Using the multiphysics, adaptive mesh refinement, higher order Godunov Eulerian hydrocode, Raptor [L. H. Howell and J. A. Greenough, J. Comput. Phys. 184, 53 (2003)], the late nonlinear instability evolution for multiple amplitude and phase realizations of a variety of multimode spectral types is considered. Compressibility effects preclude the emergence of a regime of self-similar instability growth independent of the initial conditions by allowing for memory of the initial conditions to be retained in the mix-width at all times. The loss of transverse spectral information is demonstrated, however, along with the existence of a quasi-self-similar regime over short time intervals. Certain aspects of the initial conditions, including the rms amplitude, are shown to have a strong effect on the time to transition to the quasi-self-similar regime

Simulation of Rayleigh--Taylor flows using vortex blobs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, R.M.

1988-01-01

An inviscid boundary-integral method is modified in order to study the single-scale Rayleigh--Taylor instability for arbitrary Atwood number. The primary modification uses vortex blobs to smooth the Green's function and suppress a finite time singularity in the curvature. Additional modifications to earlier codes such as using second-order central differences along the interface to accommodate spikes in the vorticity and spreading the nodes evenly along the interface to suppress clustering of nodes are designed to maintain resolution and accuracy. To achieve second-order accuracy in time when the nodes are spread, an extra predictor step is needed that shifts the nodes before the variables are advanced. The method successfully follows the development of a single mode to states with asymptotic velocities for the bubble and spike that depend on the Atwood number and are independent of the blob size. Incipient droplet formation is observed. copyright 1988 Academic Press, Inc

Observation of Self-Similar Behavior of the 3D, Nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadot, O.; Smalyuk, V.A.; Delettrez, J.A.; Sangster, T.C.; Goncharov, V.N.; Meyerhofer, D.D.; Betti, R.; Shvarts, D.

2005-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor unstable growth of laser-seeded, 3D broadband perturbations was experimentally measured in the laser-accelerated, planar plastic foils. The first experimental observation showing the self-similar behavior of the bubble size and amplitude distributions under ablative conditions is presented. In the nonlinear regime, the modulation σ rms grows as α σ gt 2 , where g is the foil acceleration, t is the time, and α σ is constant. The number of bubbles evolves as N(t)∝(ωt√(g)+C) -4 and the average size evolves as (t)∝ω 2 gt 2 , where C is a constant and ω=0.83±0.1 is the measured scaled bubble-merging rate

Using the self-learning intellectual models for predicting the development of the Rayleigh-Taylor turbulent mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuzhnyj, A.S.; Rozanov, V.B.; Stepanov, R.V.; Shumskij, S.A.

2005-01-01

Stability of target compression in the laser thermonuclear synthesis is discussed. The process is determined by developing the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RNI). A program unit for description of the RNI evolution by its initial distributions is developed. The results of statistical analysis of the RT mixing calculations are given. The analysis is carried out by means of learning base system and is substantiated on the generalization of great number of data, fulfilled by means of the neural network methods [ru

Experimental and numerical investigations of beryllium strength models using the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henry de Frahan, M. T. [Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA; Belof, J. L. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808, USA; Cavallo, R. M. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808, USA; Raevsky, V. A. [Russian Federal Nuclear Center-VNIIEF, Sarov 607188, Russia; Ignatova, O. N. [Russian Federal Nuclear Center-VNIIEF, Sarov 607188, Russia; Lebedev, A. [Russian Federal Nuclear Center-VNIIEF, Sarov 607188, Russia; Ancheta, D. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808, USA; El-dasher, B. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808, USA; Florando, J. N. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808, USA; Gallegos, G. F. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808, USA; Johnsen, E. [Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA; LeBlanc, M. M. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808, USA

2015-06-14

A recent collaboration between LLNL and VNIIEF has produced a set of high explosive driven Rayleigh-Taylor strength data for beryllium. Design simulations using legacy strength models from Steinberg-Lund and Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW) suggested an optimal design that would delineate between not just different strength models, but different parameters sets of the PTW model. Application of the models to the post-shot results, however, shows close to classical growth. We characterize the material properties of the beryllium tested in the experiments. We also discuss recent efforts to simulate the data using the legacy strength models as well as the more recent RING relaxation model developed at VNIIEF. Finally, we present shock and ramp-loading recovery experiments conducted as part of the collaboration.

Preheating ablation effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the weakly nonlinear regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L. F.; Ye, W. H.; He, X. T.; Sheng, Z. M.; Don, Wai-Sun; Li, Y. J.

2010-01-01

The two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) with and without thermal conduction is investigated by numerical simulation in the weakly nonlinear regime. A preheat model κ(T)=κ SH [1+f(T)] is introduced for the thermal conduction [W. H. Ye, W. Y. Zhang, and X. T. He, Phys. Rev. E 65, 057401 (2002)], where κ SH is the Spitzer-Haerm electron thermal conductivity coefficient and f(T) models the preheating tongue effect in the cold plasma ahead of the ablation front. The preheating ablation effects on the RTI are studied by comparing the RTI with and without thermal conduction with identical density profile relevant to inertial confinement fusion experiments. It is found that the ablation effects strongly influence the mode coupling process, especially with short perturbation wavelength. Overall, the ablation effects stabilize the RTI. First, the linear growth rate is reduced, especially for short perturbation wavelengths and a cutoff wavelength is observed in simulations. Second, the second harmonic generation is reduced for short perturbation wavelengths. Third, the third-order negative feedback to the fundamental mode is strengthened, which plays a stabilization role. Finally, on the contrary, the ablation effects increase the generation of the third harmonic when the perturbation wavelengths are long. Our simulation results indicate that, in the weakly nonlinear regime, the ablation effects are weakened as the perturbation wavelength is increased. Numerical results obtained are in general agreement with the recent weakly nonlinear theories as proposed in [J. Sanz, J. Ramirez, R. Ramis et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 195002 (2002); J. Garnier, P.-A. Raviart, C. Cherfils-Clerouin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 185003 (2003)].

Hydrodynamic instability of compressible fluid in porous medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Argal, Shraddha; Tiwari, Anita; Sharma, P K; Prajapati, R P

2014-01-01

The hydrodynamic Rayleigh -Taylor instability of two superposed compressible fluids in porous medium has been studied. The dispersion relation is derived for such a medium by using normal mode analysis. The RT instability is discussed for various simplified configuration. The effect of porosity and dynamic viscosity has been analyzed and it is observed that porosity and dynamic viscosity have stabilizing effect on the Rayleigh- Taylor instability of compressible fluids.

Experimental and numerical investigations of beryllium strength models using the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henry de Frahan, M. T., E-mail: marchdf@umich.edu; Johnsen, E. [Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States); Belof, J. L.; Cavallo, R. M.; Ancheta, D. S.; El-dasher, B. S.; Florando, J. N.; Gallegos, G. F.; LeBlanc, M. M. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94551-0808 (United States); Raevsky, V. A.; Ignatova, O. N.; Lebedev, A. [Russian Federal Nuclear Center-VNIIEF, Sarov 607188 (Russian Federation)

2015-06-14

We present a set of high explosive driven Rayleigh-Taylor strength experiments for beryllium to produce data to distinguish predictions by various strength models. Design simulations using existing strength model parameterizations from Steinberg-Lund and Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW) suggested an optimal design that would delineate between not just different strength models, but different parameters sets of the PTW model. Application of the models to the post-shot results, however, suggests growth consistent with little material strength. We focus mostly on efforts to simulate the data using published strength models as well as the more recent RING relaxation model developed at VNIIEF. The results of the strength experiments indicate weak influence of strength in mitigating the growth with the RING model coming closest to predicting the material behavior. Finally, we present shock and ramp-loading recovery experiments.

Stochastic model of Rayleigh-Taylor turbulent mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abarzhi, S.I.; Cadjan, M.; Fedotov, S.

2007-01-01

We propose a stochastic model to describe the random character of the dissipation process in Rayleigh-Taylor turbulent mixing. The parameter alpha, used conventionally to characterize the mixing growth-rate, is not a universal constant and is very sensitive to the statistical properties of the dissipation. The ratio between the rates of momentum loss and momentum gain is the statistic invariant and a robust parameter to diagnose with or without turbulent diffusion accounted for

Probing the deep nonlinear stage of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in indirect drive experiments on the National Ignition Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casner, A., E-mail: alexis.casner@cea.fr; Masse, L.; Liberatore, S.; Loiseau, P.; Masson-Laborde, P. E.; Jacquet, L. [CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France); Martinez, D.; Moore, A. S.; Seugling, R.; Felker, S.; Haan, S. W.; Remington, B. A.; Smalyuk, V. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Farrell, M.; Giraldez, E.; Nikroo, A. [General Atomics, San Diego, California 92121 (United States)

2015-05-15

Academic tests in physical regimes not encountered in Inertial Confinement Fusion will help to build a better understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities and constitute the scientifically grounded validation complementary to fully integrated experiments. Under the National Ignition Facility (NIF) Discovery Science program, recent indirect drive experiments have been carried out to study the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) in transition from weakly nonlinear to highly nonlinear regime [A. Casner et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 082708 (2012)]. In these experiments, a modulated package is accelerated by a 175 eV radiative temperature plateau created by a room temperature gas-filled platform irradiated by 60 NIF laser beams. The unique capabilities of the NIF are harnessed to accelerate this planar sample over much larger distances (≃1.4 mm) and longer time periods (≃12 ns) than previously achieved. This extended acceleration could eventually allow entering into a turbulent-like regime not precluded by the theory for the RTI at the ablation front. Simultaneous measurements of the foil trajectory and the subsequent RTI growth are performed and compared with radiative hydrodynamics simulations. We present RTI growth measurements for two-dimensional single-mode and broadband multimode modulations. The dependence of RTI growth on initial conditions and ablative stabilization is emphasized, and we demonstrate for the first time in indirect-drive a bubble-competition, bubble-merger regime for the RTI at ablation front.

Indirect drive ablative Rayleigh-Taylor experiments with rugby hohlraums on OMEGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casner, A.; Galmiche, D.; Huser, G.; Jadaud, J.-P.; Liberatore, S.; Vandenboomgaerde, M.

2009-01-01

Results of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth experiments performed in indirect drive on the OMEGA laser facility [T. R. Boehly, D. L. Brown, S. Craxton et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] are reported. These experiments aim at benchmarking hydrocodes simulations and ablator instabilities growth in conditions relevant to ignition in the framework of the Laser MegaJoule [C. Cavailler, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 47, 389 (2005)]. The modulated samples under study were made of germanium-doped plastic (CHGe), which is the nominal ablator for future ignition experiments. The incident x-ray drive was provided using rugby-shaped hohlraums [M. Vandenboomgaerde, J. Bastian, A. Casner et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 065004 (2007)] and was characterized by means of absolute time-resolved soft x-ray power measurements through a dedicated diagnostic hole, shock breakout data and one-dimensional and two-dimensional (2D) side-on radiographies. All these independent x-ray drive diagnostics lead to an actual on-foil flux that is about 50% smaller than laser-entrance-hole measurements. The experimentally inferred flux is used to simulate experimental optical depths obtained from face-on radiographies for an extensive set of initial conditions: front-side single-mode (wavelength λ=35, 50, and 70 μm) and two-mode perturbations (wavelength λ=35 and 70 μm, in phase or in opposite phase). Three-dimensional pattern growth is also compared with the 2D case. Finally the case of the feedthrough mechanism is addressed with rear-side modulated foils.

Indirect drive ablative Rayleigh-Taylor experiments with rugby hohlraums on OMEGA

Science.gov (United States)

Casner, A.; Galmiche, D.; Huser, G.; Jadaud, J.-P.; Liberatore, S.; Vandenboomgaerde, M.

2009-09-01

Results of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth experiments performed in indirect drive on the OMEGA laser facility [T. R. Boehly, D. L. Brown, S. Craxton et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] are reported. These experiments aim at benchmarking hydrocodes simulations and ablator instabilities growth in conditions relevant to ignition in the framework of the Laser MégaJoule [C. Cavailler, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 47, 389 (2005)]. The modulated samples under study were made of germanium-doped plastic (CHGe), which is the nominal ablator for future ignition experiments. The incident x-ray drive was provided using rugby-shaped hohlraums [M. Vandenboomgaerde, J. Bastian, A. Casner et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 065004 (2007)] and was characterized by means of absolute time-resolved soft x-ray power measurements through a dedicated diagnostic hole, shock breakout data and one-dimensional and two-dimensional (2D) side-on radiographies. All these independent x-ray drive diagnostics lead to an actual on-foil flux that is about 50% smaller than laser-entrance-hole measurements. The experimentally inferred flux is used to simulate experimental optical depths obtained from face-on radiographies for an extensive set of initial conditions: front-side single-mode (wavelength λ =35, 50, and 70 μm) and two-mode perturbations (wavelength λ =35 and 70 μm, in phase or in opposite phase). Three-dimensional pattern growth is also compared with the 2D case. Finally the case of the feedthrough mechanism is addressed with rear-side modulated foils.

Dynamical Instability and Soliton Concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kartavenko, V.G.

1994-01-01

The problem of dynamical instability and clustering (stable fragments formation) in a breakup of excited nuclear systems are considered from the points of view of the soliton concept. It is noted that the volume (spinodal) instability can be associated with nonlinear terms, and the surface (Rayleigh-Taylor type) instability, with the dispersion terms in the evolution equations. The spinodal instability and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability may compensate each other and lead to stable quasi-soliton type objects. The simple analytical model is presented to illustrate this physical picture. The time evolution of an initially compressed cold nuclear system is analysed in the framework of the inverse mean-field method. It is demonstrated that the nonlinearity and dispersion terms of the evolution equations can lead to clusterization in the final channel. 8 p

Indirect-drive ablative Rayleigh-Taylor growth experiments on the Shenguang-II laser facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, J. F.; Fan, Z. F.; Zheng, W. D.; Wang, M.; Pei, W. B.; Zhu, S. P.; Zhang, W. Y. [Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094 (China); Miao, W. Y.; Yuan, Y. T.; Cao, Z. R.; Deng, B.; Jiang, S. E.; Liu, S. Y.; Ding, Y. K. [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Wang, L. F.; Ye, W. H., E-mail: ye-wenhua@iapcm.ac.cn; He, X. T. [Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094 (China); HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2014-04-15

In this research, a series of single-mode, indirect-drive, ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability experiments performed on the Shenguang-II laser facility [X. T. He and W. Y. Zhang, Eur. Phys. J. D 44, 227 (2007)] using planar target is reported. The simulation results from the one-dimensional hydrocode for the planar foil trajectory experiment indicate that the energy flux at the hohlraum wall is obviously less than that at the laser entrance hole. Furthermore, the non-Planckian spectra of x-ray source can strikingly affect the dynamics of the foil flight and the perturbation growth. Clear images recorded by an x-ray framing camera for the RT growth initiated by small- and large-amplitude perturbations are obtained. The observed onset of harmonic generation and transition from linear to nonlinear growth regime is well predicted by two-dimensional hydrocode simulations.

In search of late time evolution self-similar scaling laws of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov hydrodynamic instabilities - recent theorical advance and NIF Discovery-Science experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Shvarts, Dov

2017-10-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities, and the mixing that they cause, are of crucial importance in describing many phenomena, from very large scales such as stellar explosions (supernovae) to very small scales, such as inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions. Such mixing causes the ejection of stellar core material in supernovae, and impedes attempts at ICF ignition. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) occurs at an accelerated interface between two fluids with the lower density accelerating the higher density fluid. The Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability occurs when a shock wave passes an interface between the two fluids of different density. In the RTI, buoyancy causes ``bubbles'' of the light fluid to rise through (penetrate) the denser fluid, while ``spikes'' of the heavy fluid sink through (penetrate) the lighter fluid. With realistic multi-mode initial conditions, in the deep nonlinear regime, the mixing zone width, H, and its internal structure, progress through an inverse cascade of spatial scales, reaching an asymptotic self-similar evolution: hRT =αRT Agt2 for RT and hRM =αRM tθ for RM. While this characteristic behavior has been known for years, the self-similar parameters αRT and θRM and their dependence on dimensionality and density ratio have continued to be intensively studied and a relatively wide distribution of those values have emerged. This talk will describe recent theoretical advances in the description of this turbulent mixing evolution that sheds light on the spread in αRT and θRM. Results of new and specially designed experiments, done by scientists from several laboratories, were performed recently using NIF, the only facility that is powerful enough to reach the self-similar regime, for quantitative testing of this theoretical advance, will be presented.

A review of hydrodynamic instabilities and their relevance to mixing in molten fuel coolant interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fletcher, D.F.

1984-03-01

A review of the literature on Rayleigh-Taylor, Kelvin-Helmholtz and capillary instability is presented. The concept of Weber breakup is examined and found to involve a combination of the above instabilities. Sample calculations are given which show how these instabilities may contribute to the mixing of melt and coolant in a molten fuel coolant interaction. It is concluded that Rayleigh-Taylor instability is likely to be important as the melt falls into the coolant and that Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is likely to develop when significant vapour velocities occur. (author)

Electrothermal instability growth in magnetically driven pulsed power liners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, Kyle J.; Sinars, Daniel B.; Yu, Edmund P.; Herrmann, Mark C.; Cuneo, Michael E.; Slutz, Stephen A.; Smith, Ian C.; Atherton, Briggs W.; Knudson, Marcus D.; Nakhleh, Charles

2012-01-01

This paper explores the role of electro-thermal instabilities on the dynamics of magnetically accelerated implosion systems. Electro-thermal instabilities result from non-uniform heating due to temperature dependence in the conductivity of a material. Comparatively little is known about these types of instabilities compared to the well known Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability. We present simulations that show electrothermal instabilities form immediately after the surface material of a conductor melts and can act as a significant seed to subsequent MRT instability growth. We also present the results of several experiments performed on Sandia National Laboratories Z accelerator to investigate signatures of electrothermal instability growth on well characterized initially solid aluminum and copper rods driven with a 20 MA, 100 ns risetime current pulse. These experiments show excellent agreement with electrothermal instability simulations and exhibit larger instability growth than can be explained by MRT theory alone.

GRAVITATIONALLY UNSTABLE FLAMES: RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR STRETCHING VERSUS TURBULENT WRINKLING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hicks, E. P.; Rosner, R.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we provide support for the Rayleigh-Taylor-(RT)-based subgrid model used in full-star simulations of deflagrations in Type Ia supernovae explosions. We use the results of a parameter study of two-dimensional direct numerical simulations of an RT unstable model flame to distinguish between the two main types of subgrid models (RT or turbulence dominated) in the flamelet regime. First, we give scalings for the turbulent flame speed, the Reynolds number, the viscous scale, and the size of the burning region as the non-dimensional gravity (G) is varied. The flame speed is well predicted by an RT-based flame speed model. Next, the above scalings are used to calculate the Karlovitz number (Ka) and to discuss appropriate combustion regimes. No transition to thin reaction zones is seen at Ka = 1, although such a transition is expected by turbulence-dominated subgrid models. Finally, we confirm a basic physical premise of the RT subgrid model, namely, that the flame is fractal, and thus self-similar. By modeling the turbulent flame speed, we demonstrate that it is affected more by large-scale RT stretching than by small-scale turbulent wrinkling. In this way, the RT instability controls the flame directly from the large scales. Overall, these results support the RT subgrid model.

Measurements of the growth rate of the short wavelength Rayleigh-Taylor instability of foam foil packages driven by a soft x-ray pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willi, O.; Pasley, J.; Iwase, A.; Nazarov, W.; Rose, S.J.

2000-01-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability was studied in the short wavelength regime using single mode targets that were driven by hohlraum radiation allowing the Takabe-Morse roll-over due to ablative stabilisation to be investigated. A temporally shaped soft x-ray drive was generated by focusing one of the PHEBUS laser beams into a gold hohlraum with a maximum radiation temperature of about 120 eV. Thin plastic foils with sinusoidal modulations with wavelengths between 12 and 50 μm, and a perturbation amplitude of about 10% of the wavelength, were used. A low density 50 mg/cc tri-acrylate foam 150 μm in length facing the hohlraum was attached to the modulated foam target. The targets were radiographed face-on at an x-ray energy of about 1.3 keV with a spatial resolution of about 5 μm using a Wolter-like x-ray microscope coupled to an x-ray streak camera with a temporal resolution of 50 ps. The acceleration was obtained from side-on radiography. 2-D hydrodynamic code simulations have been carried out to compare the experimental results with the simulations. (authors)

Experimental study of the initial conditions of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the ablation front in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delorme, Barthelemy

2015-01-01

Numerous designs and experiments in the domain of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) show that, in both direct and indirect drive approaches, one of the main limitations to reach the ignition is the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI). It may lead to shell disruption and performance degradation of spherically imploding targets. Thus, the understanding and the control of the initial conditions of the RTI is of crucial importance for the ICF program. In this thesis, we present an experimental and theoretical study of the initial conditions of the ablative RTI in direct drive, by means of two experimental campaigns performed on the OMEGA laser facility (LLE, Rochester). The first campaign consisted in studying the laser-imprinted ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) which starts at the beginning of the interaction and seeds the ablative RTI. We set up an experimental configuration that allowed to measure for the first time the temporal evolution of the laser-imprinted ablative RMI. The experimental results have been interpreted by a theoretical model and numerical simulations performed with the hydrodynamic code CHIC. We show that the best way to control the ablative RMI is to reduce the laser intensity inhomogeneities. This can be achieved with targets covered by a layer of a low density foam. Thus, in the second campaign, we studied for the first time the effect of underdense foams on the growth of the ablative RTI. A layer of low density foam was placed in front of a plastic foil, and the perturbation was imprinted by an intensity modulated laser beam. Experimental data are presented: backscattered laser energy, target dynamic obtained by side-on self emission measurement, and face-on radiographs showing the effect of the foams on the target areal density modulations. These data were interpreted using the CHIC code and the laser-plasma interaction code PARAX. We show that the foams noticeably reduce the amplitude of the laser intensity inhomogeneities and the

Coupling of sausage, kink, and magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in a cylindrical liner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weis, M. R.; Zhang, P.; Lau, Y. Y.; Gilgenbach, R. M.; Schmit, P. F.; Peterson, K. J.; Hess, M.

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the coupling of magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT), sausage, and kink modes in an imploding cylindrical liner, using ideal MHD. A uniform axial magnetic field of arbitrary value is included in each region: liner, its interior, and its exterior. The dispersion relation is solved exactly, for arbitrary radial acceleration (-g), axial wavenumber (k), azimuthal mode number (m), liner aspect ratio, and equilibrium quantities in each region. For small k, a positive g (inward radial acceleration in the lab frame) tends to stabilize the sausage mode, but destabilize the kink mode. For large k, a positive g destabilizes both the kink and sausage mode. Using the 1D-HYDRA simulation results for an equilibrium model that includes a pre-existing axial magnetic field and a preheated fuel, we identify several stages of MRT-sausage-kink mode evolution. We find that the m = 1 kink-MRT mode has a higher growth rate at the initial stage and stagnation stage of the implosion, and that the m = 0 sausage-MRT mode dominates at the main part of implosion. This analysis also sheds light on a puzzling feature in Harris' classic paper of MRT [E. G. Harris, Phys. Fluids 5, 1057 (1962)]. An attempt is made to interpret the persistence of the observed helical structures [Awe et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 235005 (2013)] in terms of non-axisymmetric eigenmode

Direct Numerical Simulation of the Rayleigh−Taylor Instability with the Spectral Element Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Zhang; Duo-Wang, Tan

2009-01-01

A novel method is proposed to simulate Rayleigh−Taylor instabilities using a specially-developed unsteady three-dimensional high-order spectral element method code. The numerical model used consists of Navier–Stokes equations and a transport-diffusive equation. The code is first validated with the results of linear stability perturbation theory. Then several characteristics of the Rayleigh−Taylor instabilities are studied using this three-dimensional unsteady code, including instantaneous turbulent structures and statistical turbulent mixing heights under different initial wave numbers. These results indicate that turbulent structures of Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities are strongly dependent on the initial conditions. The results also suggest that a high-order numerical method should provide the capability of simulating small scale fluctuations of Rayleigh−Taylor instabilities of turbulent flows. (fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications))

Investigation of magnetic field effects on the mitigation of the magnetohydrodynamic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in fast z-pinch implosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Douglas, M.; Deeney, C.; Roderick, N.

1999-01-01

Numerical simulations have been carried out to investigate the role that magnetic field diffusion and ohmic heating have on the magnetohydrodynamic Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) development in fast z-pinch implosions. Previous work has indicated these terms can strongly influence the evolution of RT growth, leading to a reduction in RT amplitude, and an improvement in pinch performance. Indeed, Roderick et al have suggested that magnetic smoothing is an important mechanism in linear RT growth. To examine this in more detail, simulations are presented for a 1.4 mg, 25.0 mm diameter tungsten wire array imploded in the Saturn long pulse mode. The 130 ns implosion time of this calculation should enhance any mitigating effects that may be attributed to nonideal MHD. Calculations were performed using the 2D MHD code Mach2. The wire array was approximated by a right cylindrical slab of 1.0 mm width. Both a random density perturbation and single mode density perturbations were incorporated to initiate the instability. In the former case, a 5% cell-to-cell random perturbation was used. This allowed a range of modes to be initially present. In the single mode case, a 1.25 mm wavelength, on the order of the shell thickness, was defined. To isolate the contributions due to field diffusion, joule heating, and equation of state, simulations were run with and without ohmic heating using both constant and material-dependent spitzer resistivities. This analysis was then extended to look at the effect of such parameters on the nested shell load configuration. Detailed analysis of the simulations will be presented

Instabilities with polyacrylamide solution in small and large aspect ratios Taylor-Couette systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smieszek, M; Egbers, C; Crumeyrolle, O; Mutabazi, I

2008-01-01

We have investigated the stability of viscoelastic polyacrylamide solution in Taylor-Couette system with different aspect ratios. The first instability modes observed in a Taylor-Couette system with Γ = 10 were TVF and WVF, as for Newtonian fluid. At higher Taylor numbers moving vortices occur, a wavy mode with non-stationary vortex size. In the Taylor-Couette system with Γ = 45.9 we note a coexistence of various instability modes. In addition to TVF, counterpropagating waves developed at the transition from the base state flow. At higher Taylor number values Taylor vortices of different sizes occurred. Reduced amplitude Wavy vortex flow has also been observed.

Numerical simulations of thermal convection in a rotating spherical fluid shell at high Taylor and Rayleigh numbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Z.; Schubert, G.

1995-01-01

In this study, we carry out numerical simulations of thermal convection in a rapidly rotating spherical fluid shell at high Taylor number Ta and Rayleigh number R with a nonlinear, three-dimensional, time-dependent, spectral-transform code. The parameters used in the simulations are chosen to be in a range which allows us to study two different types of convection, i.e., single column and multi-layered types, and the transition between them. Numerical solutions feature highly time-dependent north--south open columnar convective cells. The cells occur irregularly in longitude, are quasi-layered in cylindrical radius, and maintain alternating bands of mean zonal flow. The complex convective structure and the banded mean zonal flow are results of the high Taylor and Rayleigh numbers. The transition between the two types of convection appears to occur gradually with increasing Rayleigh and Taylor numbers. At a Taylor number of 10 7 the differential rotation pattern consists of an inner cylindrical region of subrotation and an outer cylindrical shell of superrotation manifest at the outer boundary as an equatorial superrotation and a high latitude subrotation. The differential rotation pattern is similar at Ta=10 8 and low Rayleigh number. Cylindrical shells of alternately directed mean zonal flow begin to develop at Ta=10 8 and R=50R c and at Ta=10 9 and R=25R c . This pattern is seen on the outer surface as a latitudinally-banded zonal flow consisting of an equatorial superrotation, a middle and high latitude subrotation, and a polar superrotation. At Ta=10 9 and R=50R c the differential rotation appears at the surface as a broad eastward flow in the equatorial region with alternating bands of westward and eastward flow at high latitudes. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

The simultaneous onset and interaction of Taylor and Dean instabilities in a Couette geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hills, C P; Bassom, A P

2005-01-01

The fluid flow between a pair of coaxial circular cylinders generated by the uniform rotation of the inner cylinder and an azimuthal pressure gradient is susceptible to both Taylor and Dean type instabilities. The flow can be characterised by two parameters: a measure of the relative magnitude of the rotation and pressure effects and a non-dimensional Taylor number. Neutral curves associated with each instability can be constructed but it has been suggested that these curves do not cross but rather posses 'kinks'. Our work is based in the small gap, large wavenumber limit and considers the simultaneous onset of Taylor and Dean instabilities. The two linear instabilities interact at exponentially small orders and a consistent, matched asymptotic solution is found across the whole annular domain, identifying five regions of interest: two boundary adjustment regions and three internal critical points. We construct necessary conditions for the concurrent onset of the linear Taylor and Dean instabilities and show that neutral curve crossing is possible

The Rayleigh–Taylor Instability Among the Stars

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The Rayleigh–Taylor Instability Among the Stars. Rajaram Nityananda. Rajaram Nityananda works at the School of Liberal. Studies, Azim Premji. University, Bengaluru. Earlier, he spent a decade at the National Centre for Radio. Astrophysics in Pune, and more than two decades at the. Raman Research Institute in.

LAD Early Career Prize Talk:Laboratory astrophysics experiments investigating the effects of high energy fluxes on Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth relevant to young supernova remnants

Science.gov (United States)

Kuranz, Carolyn C.; Drake, R. Paul; Park, Hye Sook; Huntington, Channing; Miles, Aaron R.; Remington, Bruce A.; Plewa, Tomek; Trantham, Matt; Shvarts, Dov; Raman, Kumar; MacLaren, Steven; Wan, Wesley; Doss, Forrest; Kline, John; Flippos, Kirk; Malamud, Guy; Handy, Timothy; Prisbey, Shon; Grosskopf, Michael; Krauland, Christine; Klein, Sallee; Harding, Eric; Wallace, Russell; Marion, Donna; Kalantar, Dan

2017-06-01

Energy-transport effects can alter the structure that develops as a supernova evolves into a supernova remnant. The Rayleigh Taylor (RT) instability is thought to produce structure at the interface between the stellar ejecta and the circumstellar matter (CSM), based on simple models and hydrodynamic simulations. When a blast wave emerges from an exploding star, it drives a forward shock into the CSM and a reverse shock forms in the expanding stellar ejecta, creating a young supernova remnant (SNR). As mass accumulates in the shocked layers, the interface between these two shocks decelerates, becoming unstable to the RT instability. Simulations predict that RT produces structures at this interface, having a range of spatial scales. When the CSM is dense enough, as in the case of SN 1993J, the hot shocked matter can produce significant radiative fluxes that affect the emission from the SNR. Here we report experimental results from the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to explore how large energy fluxes, which are present in supernovae such as SN 1993J, might affect this structure. The experiment used NIF to create a RT unstable interface subject to a high energy flux by the emergence of a blast wave into lower-density matter, in analogy to the SNR. We also preformed and with a low energy flux to compare the affect of the energy flux on the instability growth. We found that the RT growth was reduced in the experiments with a high energy flux. In analyzing the comparison with SN 1993J, we discovered that the energy fluxes produced by heat conduction appear to be larger than the radiative energy fluxes, and large enough to have dramatic consequences. No reported astrophysical simulations have included radiation and heat conduction self-consistently in modeling SNRs.

Front propagation in Rayleigh-Taylor systems with reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scagliarini, A; Biferale, L; Sbragaglia, M; Mantovani, F; Pivanti, M; Schifano, S F; Tripiccione, R; Pozzati, F; Toschi, F

2011-01-01

A special feature of Rayleigh-Taylor systems with chemical reactions is the competition between turbulent mixing and the 'burning processes', which leads to a highly non-trivial dynamics. We studied the problem performing high resolution numerical simulations of a 2d system, using a thermal lattice Boltzmann (LB) model. We spanned the various regimes emerging at changing the relative chemical/turbulent time scales, from slow to fast reaction; in the former case we found numerical evidence of an enhancement of the front propagation speed (with respect to the laminar case), providing a phenomenological argument to explain the observed behaviour. When the reaction is very fast, instead, the formation of sharp fronts separating patches of pure phases, leads to an increase of intermittency in the small scale statistics of the temperature field.

What is certain and what is not so certain in our knowledge of Rayleigh-Taylor mixing?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anisimov, Sergei I.; Drake, R. Paul; Gauthier, Serge; Meshkov, Evgeny E.; Abarzhi, Snezhana I.

2013-01-01

Past decades significantly advanced our understanding of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing. We briefly review recent theoretical results and numerical modelling approaches and compare them with state of the art experiments focusing the reader's attention on qualitative properties of RT mixing. (authors)

Effects of initial radius of the interface and Atwood number on nonlinear saturation amplitudes in cylindrical Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Wanhai; Yu, Changping; Li, Xinliang

2014-01-01

Nonlinear saturation amplitudes (NSAs) of the first two harmonics in classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in cylindrical geometry for arbitrary Atwood numbers have been analytically investigated considering nonlinear corrections up to the fourth-order. The NSA of the fundamental mode is defined as the linear (purely exponential) growth amplitude of the fundamental mode at the saturation time when the growth of the fundamental mode (first harmonic) is reduced by 10% in comparison to its corresponding linear growth, and the NSA of the second harmonic can be obtained in the same way. The analytic results indicate that the effects of the initial radius of the interface (r 0 ) and the Atwood number (A) play an important role in the NSAs of the first two harmonics in cylindrical RTI. On the one hand, the NSA of the fundamental mode first increases slightly and then decreases quickly with increasing A. For given A, the smaller the r 0 /λ (with λ perturbation wavelength) is, the larger the NSA of the fundamental mode is. When r 0 /λ is large enough (r 0 ≫λ), the NSA of the fundamental mode is reduced to the prediction of previous literatures within the framework of third-order perturbation theory [J. W. Jacobs and I. Catton, J. Fluid Mech. 187, 329 (1988); S. W. Haan, Phys. Fluids B 3, 2349 (1991)]. On the other hand, the NSA of the second harmonic first decreases quickly with increasing A, reaching a minimum, and then increases slowly. Furthermore, the r 0 can reduce the NSA of the second harmonic for arbitrary A at r 0 ≲2λ while increase it for A ≲ 0.6 at r 0 ≳2λ. Thus, it should be included in applications where the NSA has a role, such as inertial confinement fusion ignition target design

Computational investigation of single mode vs multimode Rayleigh endash Taylor seeding in Z-pinch implosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Douglas, M.R.; Deeney, C.; Roderick, N.F.

1998-01-01

A series of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic calculations have been carried out to investigate single and multimode growth and mode coupling for magnetically-driven Rayleigh endash Taylor instabilities in Z pinches. Wavelengths ranging from 5.0 mm down to 1.25 mm were considered. Such wavelengths are comparable to those observed at stagnation using a random density open-quotes seedingclose quotes method. The calculations show that wavelengths resolved by less than 10 cells exhibit an artificial decrease in initial Fourier spectrum amplitudes and a reduction in the corresponding amplitude growth. Single mode evolution exhibits linear exponential growth and the development of higher harmonics as the mode transitions into the nonlinear phase. The mode growth continues to exponentiate but at a slower rate than determined by linear hydrodynamic theory. In the two and three mode case, there is clear evidence of mode coupling and inverse cascade. In addition, distinct modal patterns are observed late in the implosion, resulting from finite shell thickness and magnetic field effects. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics. thinsp

Observation of Rayleigh - Taylor growth to short wavelengths on Nike

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pawley, C.J.; Bodner, S.E.; Dahlburg, J.P.; Obenschain, S.P.; Schmitt, A.J.; Sethian, J.D.; Sullivan, C.A.; Gardner, J.H.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Chan, Y.; Lehecka, T.

1999-01-01

The uniform and smooth focal profile of the Nike KrF laser [S. Obenschain et al., Phys. Plasmas 3, 2098 (1996)] was used to ablatively accelerate 40 μm thick polystyrene planar targets with pulse shaping to minimize shock heating of the compressed material. The foils had imposed small-amplitude sinusoidal wave perturbations of 60, 30, 20, and 12.5 μm wavelength. The shortest wavelength is near the ablative stabilization cutoff for Rayleigh - Taylor growth. Modification of the saturated wave structure due to random laser imprint was observed. Excellent agreement was found between the two-dimensional simulations and experimental data for most cases where the laser imprint was not dominant. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor growth-rate measurements with the OMEGA laser system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knauer, J.P.; Verdon, C.P.; Meyerhofer, D.D.; Boehly, T.R.; Bradley, D.K.; Smalyuk, V.A.; Ofer, D.; McKenty, P.W.; Glendinning, S.G.; Kalantar, D.H.; Watt, R.G.; Gobby, P.L.; Willi, O.; Taylor, R.J.

1997-01-01

The results from a series of single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth experiments performed on the OMEGA laser system using planar targets are reported. Planar targets with imposed mass perturbations were accelerated using five to six 351-nm laser beams overlapped with total intensities up to 2.5x10 14 W/cm 2 . Experiments were performed with both 3-ns ramp and 3-ns flat-topped temporal pulse shapes. The use of distributed phase plates and smoothing by spectral dispersion resulted in a laser-irradiation nonuniformity of 4%endash 7% over a 600-μm-diam region defined by the 90% intensity contour. The temporal growth of the modulation in optical depth was measured using through-foil radiography and was detected with an x-ray framing camera for CH targets with and without a foam buffer. The growth of both 31-μm and 60-μm wavelength perturbations was found to be in good agreement with ORCHID simulations when the experimental details, including noise, were included. The addition of a 30-mg/cc, 100-μm-thick polystyrene foam buffer layer resulted in reduced growth of the 31-μm perturbation and essentially unchanged growth for the 60-μm case when compared to targets without foam. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the presence of a density transition layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavakoli, A.; Tskhakaya, D.D.; Tsintsadze, N.L.

1999-01-01

A new type of symmetry for the Rayleigh equation is found. For small Atwood number an analytic solution is obtained for a smoothly varying density profile. The spectra of unstable modes are defined. It is shown that a transition layer with finite width can undergo stratification, and velocity shear between new-formed sublayers forms. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

An Instability in Stratified Taylor-Couette Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Swinney, Harry

2015-11-01

In the late 1950s Russell Donnelly began conducting experiments at the University of Chicago on flow between concentric rotating cylinders, and his experiments together with complementary theory by his collaborator S. Chandrasekhar did much to rekindle interest in the flow instability discovered and studied by G.I. Taylor (1923). The present study concerns an instability in a concentric cylinder system containing a fluid with an axial density gradient. In 2005 Dubrulle et al. suggested that a `stratorotational instability' (SRI) in this system could provide insight into instability and angular momentum transport in astrophysical accretion disks. In 2007 the stratorotational instability was observed in experiments by Le Bars and Le Gal. We have conducted an experiment on the SRI in a concentric cylinder system (radius ratio η = 0 . 876) with buoyancy frequency N / 2 π = 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75 Hz. For N = 0.75 Hz we observe the SRI onset to occur for Ωouter /Ωinner > η , contrary to the prediction of Shalybkov and Rüdiger. Research conducted with Bruce Rodenborn and Ruy Ibanez.

On coupled development of MHD instabilities of Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz types in nonuniform gas-plasmas flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Likhachev, A P; Medin, S A

2010-01-01

The simultaneous development of the MHD instabilities of Raylegh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz types at the interface between high-conducting plasmoid and surrounding non- or low-conducting gas is considered. The linear stage of the RTI development is studied analytically for incompressible and compressible fluids. The nonlinear stage of the individual development of the RTI and the coupled development of both instabilities has been investigated numerically. The time-dependent two-dimensional numerical model based on the solution of the Euler gasdynamic equations with body momentum and energy sources of MHD origin has been developed and used in calculations. A disturbance introducing in the background flow has been periodic with varied assignment type and wave length. Fundamental difference between the results of linear and nonlinear analysis has been revealed. In particular, the increment of the RTI development at nonlinear stage is one-two order of magnitude less than that predicted by linear theory and rather weakly depends on initial disturbance mode. In linear analysis the coupled development of the RTI and the KHI is determined by simple summing of the two effects in the expression of wave increment, whereas in nonlinear case the mutual influence of the instabilities leads to essential alterations in their development, main of which is the intensive 'layer-by-layer' destruction of the plasmoid surface.

Experimental study of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability induced by a Mach 3 shock wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BP Puranik; JG Oakley; MH Anderson; R Bonaazza

2003-01-01

OAK-B135 An experimental investigation of a shock-induced interfacial instability (Richtmyer-Meshkov instability) is undertaken in an effort to study temporal evolution of interfacial perturbations in the late stages of development. The experiments are performed in a vertical shock tube with a square cross-section. A membraneless interface is prepared by retracting a sinusoidally shaped metal plate initially separating carbon dioxide from air, with both gases initially at atmospheric pressure. With carbon dioxide above the plate, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability commences as the plate is retracted and the amplitude of the initial sinusoidal perturbation imposed on the interface begins to grow. The interface is accelerated by a strong shock wave (M=3.08) while its shape is still sinusoidal and before the Kelvin-Helmhotz instability distorts it into the well known mushroom-like structures; its initial amplitude to wavelength ratio is large enough that the interface evolution enters its nonlinear stage very shortly after shock acceleration. The pre-shock evolution of the interface due to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the post-shock evolution of the interface due to the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability are visualized using planar Mie scattering. The pre-shock evolution of the interface is carried out in an independent set of experiments. The initial conditions for the Richtmyer-Meshkov experiment are determined from the pre-shock Rayleigh-Taylor growth. One image of the post-shock interface is obtained per experiment and image sequences, showing the post-shock evolution of the interface, are constructed from several experiments. The growth rate of the perturbation amplitude is measured and compared with two recent analytical models of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

Spanwise homogeneous buoyancy-drag model for Rayleigh-Taylor mixing and experimental evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimonte, Guy

2000-01-01

A buoyancy-drag model for Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing is developed on the premise that the bubble and spike regions behave as distinct and spanwise homogeneous fluids. Then, mass conservation is applied accross the mixing zone to obtain their average mixture densities dynamically. These are used to explicitly calculate the inertia and buoyancy terms in the evolutionary equation. The only unknown parameter in the model is the Newtonian drag constant C∼2.5±0.6, which is determined from turbulent RT experiments over various Atwood numbers A and acceleration histories g(t). The bubble (i=2) and spike (i=1) amplitudes are found to obey the familiar h i =α i Agt 2 for a constant g and h i ∼t θ i for an impulsive g. For bubbles, both α 2 and θ 2 are insensitive to A. For the spikes, both α 1 and θ 1 increase as a power law with the density ratio. However, θ 1 is not universal because it depends on the initial value of h 1 /h 2 . (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Preliminary investigation on the use of low current pulsed power Z-pinch plasma devices for the study of early stage plasma instabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Kaselouris, E.; Dimitriou, V.; Fitilis, I.; Skoulakis, A.; Koundourakis, G.; Clark, E. L.; Chatzakis, J.; Bakarezos, Μ; Nikolos, I. K.; Papadogiannis, N. A.; Tatarakis, M.

2018-01-01

This article addresses key features for the implementation of low current pulsed power plasma devices for the study of matter dynamics from the solid to the plasma phase. The renewed interest in such low current plasma devices lies in the need to investigate methods for the mitigation of prompt seeding mechanisms for the generation of plasma instabilities. The low current when driven into thick wires (skin effect mode) allows for the simultaneous existence of all phases of matter from solid to plasma. Such studies are important for the concept of inertial confinement fusion where the mitigation of the instability seeding mechanisms arising from the very early moments within the target’s heating is of crucial importance. Similarly, in the magnetized liner inertial fusion concept it is an open question as to how much surface non-uniformity correlates with the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which develops during the implosion. This study presents experimental and simulation results, which demonstrate that the use of low current pulsed power devices in conjunction with appropriate diagnostics can be important for studying seeding mechanisms for the imminent generation of plasma instabilities in future research.

Slow growth of the Rayleigh-Plateau instability in aqueous two phase systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geschiere, S.D.; Ziemecka, I.; Van Steijn, V.; Koper, G.J.M.; Van Esch, J.H.; Kreutzer, M.T.

2012-01-01

This paper studies the Rayleigh-Plateau instability for co-flowing immiscible aqueous polymer solutions in a microfluidic channel. Careful vibration-free experiments with controlled actuation of the flow allowed direct measurement of the growth rate of this instability. Experiments for the

Relativistic centrifugal instability

Science.gov (United States)

Gourgouliatos, Konstantinos N.; Komissarov, Serguei S.

2018-03-01

Near the central engine, many astrophysical jets are expected to rotate about their axis. Further out they are expected to go through the processes of reconfinement and recollimation. In both these cases, the flow streams along a concave surface and hence, it is subject to the centrifugal force. It is well known that such flows may experience the centrifugal instability (CFI), to which there are many laboratory examples. The recent computer simulations of relativistic jets from active galactic nuclei undergoing the process of reconfinement show that in such jets CFI may dominate over the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability associated with velocity shear (Gourgouliatos & Komissarov). In this letter, we generalize the Rayleigh criterion for CFI in rotating fluids to relativistic flows using a heuristic analysis. We also present the results of computer simulations which support our analytic criterion for the case of an interface separating two uniformly rotating cylindrical flows. We discuss the difference between CFI and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in flows with curved streamlines.

Fluid Dynamics And Mass Transfer In Two-Fluid Taylor-Couette Flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baier, G.; Graham, M.D.

1998-01-01

The Taylor-Couette instability of a single liquid phase can be used to enhance mass transfer processes such as filtration and membrane separations. We consider here the possibility of using this instability to enhance interphase transport in a two-fluid systems, with a view toward improved liquid-liquid extractions for biotechnology applications. We investigate the centrifugal instability of a pair of radially stratified immiscible liquids in the annular gap between concentric, corotating cylinders: two-fluid Taylor-Couette flow. Experiments show that a two-layer flow with a well-defined interface and Taylor vortices in each phase can be obtained. The experimental results are in good agreement with predictions of inviscid arguments based on a two-phase extension of Rayleigh's criterion, as well as with detailed linear stability calculations. For a given geometry, the most stable configuration occurs for fluids of roughly (exactly in the inviscid limit) equal dynamic viscosities. A number of preliminary mass transfer experiments have also been performed, in the presence of axial counterflow. The onset of Taylor vortices coincides with a clear decrease in the extent of axial dispersion and an increase in the rate of interphase transport, thus suggesting that this flow geometry may provide an effective means for countercurrent chromatographic separations

Analytical approach to the investigation of Rayleigh-Taylor structures of the equatorial F region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komarov, V.N.; Sazonov, S.V.

1991-01-01

On the basis of approximation of a strong vertical extension the nonlinear dynamics of Rayleigh-Taylor structures in the equatorial F region is analytically studied. The successive approximation method, proposed herein, is true for structures having longitudinal symmetry. Using this method it is managed to describe the mushroom-shaped bubble with a shock wave profile in its head part. The nonlinearity leads to bubble formation under conditions with aggravation, limiting the growth of positive disturbances at the same time

Characterization of energy flow and instability development in two-dimensional simulations of hollow z pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, D.L.; Bowers, R.L.; McLenithan, K.D.; Deeney, C.; Chandler, G.A.; Spielman, R.B.; Matzen, M.K.; Roderick, N.F.

1998-01-01

A two-dimensional (2-D) Eulerian Radiation-Magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) code has been used to simulate imploding z pinches for three experiments fielded on the Los Alamos Pegasus II capacitor bank [J. C. Cochrane et al., Dense Z-Pinches, Third International Conference, London, United Kingdom 1993 (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1994), p. 381] and the Sandia Saturn accelerator [R. B. Spielman et al., Dense Z-Pinches, Second International Conference, Laguna Beach, 1989 (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1989), p. 3] and Z accelerator [R. B. Spielman et al., Phys. Plasmas 5, 2105 (1998)]. These simulations match the experimental results closely and illustrate how the code results may be used to track the flow of energy in the simulation and account for the amount of total radiated energy. The differences between the calculated radiated energy and power in 2-D simulations and those from zero-dimensional (0-D) and one-dimensional (1-D) Lagrangian simulations (which typically underpredict the total radiated energy and overpredict power) are due to the radially extended nature of the plasma shell, an effect which arises from the presence of magnetically driven Rayleigh endash Taylor instabilities. The magnetic Rayleigh endash Taylor instabilities differ substantially from hydrodynamically driven instabilities and typical measures of instability development such as e-folding times and mixing layer thickness are inapplicable or of limited value. A new measure of global instability development is introduced, tied to the imploding plasma mass, termed open-quotes fractional involved mass.close quotes Examples of this quantity are shown for the three experiments along with a discussion of the applicability of this measure. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Numerical study and modeling of hydrodynamic instabilities in the context of inertial confinement fusion in the presence of self-generated magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levy, Y.

2012-01-01

In the context of inertial confinement fusion we investigate effects of magnetic fields on the development in the linear regime of two hydrodynamic instabilities: Richtmyer-Meshkov instability using ideal magnetohydrodynamics and ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in both acceleration and deceleration stages. Direct numerical simulations with a linear perturbation code enable us to confirm the stabilizing effect of the component of the magnetic field along the perturbations wave vector. The amplitude doesn't grow linearly in time but experiences oscillations instead. The compressibility taken into account in the code does not affect predictions given by an already existing impulsive and incompressible model. As far as Rayleigh-Taylor instability is concerned we study the effects of self-generated magnetic fields that arise from the development of the instability itself. In the acceleration stage we perform two dimensional simulations in planar geometry. We show that magnetic fields of about 1 T can be generated and that the instability growth transits more rapidly into nonlinear growth with the enhancement of the development of the third harmonic. We also propose an adaptation of an existing model that aims at studying thermal conductivity anisotropy effects, to take into account the effects of the self-generated magnetic fields on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth rate. Finally, in the deceleration stage, we perform two dimensional simulations in cylindrical geometry that take into account self-generation of magnetic fields due to the instability development. It reveals magnetic fields of about several thousands of Teslas that are not strong enough though to affect the instability behavior. (author) [fr

Pinch instabilities in Taylor-Couette flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Shalybkov, Dima

2006-01-01

The linear stability of the dissipative Taylor-Couette flow with an azimuthal magnetic field is considered. Unlike ideal flows, the magnetic field is a fixed function of a radius with two parameters only: a ratio of inner to outer cylinder radii, eta, and a ratio of the magnetic field values on outer and inner cylinders, muB. The magnetic field with 0rotation. The unstable modes are located into some interval of the axial wave numbers for the flow stable without magnetic field. The interval length is zero for a critical Hartmann number and increases with an increasing Hartmann number. The critical Hartmann numbers and length of the unstable axial wave number intervals are the same for every rotation law. There are the critical Hartmann numbers for m=0 sausage and m=1 kink modes only. The sausage mode is the most unstable mode close to Ha=0 point and the kink mode is the most unstable mode close to the critical Hartmann number. The transition from the sausage instability to the kink instability depends on the Prandtl number Pm and this happens close to one-half of the critical Hartmann number for Pm=1 and close to the critical Hartmann number for Pm=10(-5). The critical Hartmann numbers are smaller for kink modes. The flow stability does not depend on magnetic Prandtl numbers for m=0 mode. The same is true for critical Hartmann numbers for both m=0 and m=1 modes. The typical value of the magnetic field destabilizing the liquid metal Taylor-Couette flow is approximately 10(2) G.

S-300, new pulsed power installation in Kurchatov Institute, investigation of the stable liner implosion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chernenko, A S; Gorbulin, Yu M; Kalinin, Yu G; Kingsep, A S; Koba, Yu V; Korolev, V D; Mizhiritskij, V I; Rudakov, L I [Kurchatov Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation)

1997-12-31

S-300 is a new 8-module pulsed power machine capable of delivering the total current of up to 6 MA to the optimized load. The goal of the reported first series of experiments was to study in detail the physics of the liner implosion, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the Hall instability of a hollow imploding cylindrical plasma shell in particular. The characteristics of various liner instabilities observed under different experimental conditions are discussed. An attempt is made to identify them on the base of existing theoretical notions. (J.U.). 4 figs., 4 refs.

Application of high-speed photography to hydrodynamic instability research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Lihua; Li Zuoyou; Xiao Zhengfei; Zou Liyong; Liu Jinhong; Xiong Xueshi

2012-01-01

High-speed photography is used to study the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of air-water interface driven by high- pressure exploding gas. Clear images illustrating the instability are obtained, along with the air bubble peak speed and turbulent mixing speed. The RM (Richtmyer-Meshkov) instability of air/SF 6 interface driven by shock wave is also researched by using high-speed Schlieren technique on the horizontal shock tube and primary experimental results are obtained, which show the change of the turbulent mixing region clearly. (authors)

Density-space potential phase difference in a Kelvin--Helmholtz instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glowienka, J.C.; Jennings, W.C.; Hickok, R.L.

1974-01-01

The low-frequency instability found in a hollow cathode discharge in helium was studied using an ion beam probe as a primary diagnostic tool. Three aspects of the instability are discussed: the location and amplitude of the oscillation and its correlation with the shape of the space potential; the phase angle between density and space potential oscillations; and the comparison of the data with three known instability models: Kelvin--Helmholtz, Rayleigh--Taylor, and drift waves--for mode identification. (U.S.)

Hydrodynamic instabilities in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, N.M.

1995-01-01

The focus of these (two) lectures is on buoyancy-driven instabilities of the Rayleigh-Taylor type, which are commonly regarded as the most important kind of hydrodynamic instability in inertial-confinement-fusion implosions. The paper is intended to be pedagogical rather than research-oriented, and so is by no means a comprehensive review of work in this field. Rather, it is hoped that the student will find here a foundation on which to build an understanding of current research, and the experienced researcher will find a compilation of useful results. (author)

The nature of the Vela X-ray ``jet". The Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the origin of filamentary structures in the Vela supernova remnant

Science.gov (United States)

Gvaramadze, Vasilii

1999-12-01

The nature of the Vela X-ray ``jet", recently discovered by Markwardt & Ögelman (1995), is examined. It is suggested that the ``jet" arises along the interface of domelike deformations of the Rayleigh-Taylor unstable shell of the Vela supernova remnant; thereby the ``jet" is interpreted as a part of the general shell of the remnant. The origin of deformations as well as the general structure of the remnant are discussed in the framework of a model based on a cavity explosion of a supernova star. It is suggested that the shell deformations viewed at various angles appear as filamentary structures visible throughout the Vela supernova remnant at radio, optical, and X-ray wavelengths. A possible origin of the nebula of hard X-ray emission detected by Willmore et al. (1992) around the Vela pulsar is proposed.

Single-mode, Rayleigh-Taylor growth-rate measurements on the OMEGA laser system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knauer, J. P.; Betti, R.; Bradley, D. K.; Boehly, T. R.; Collins, T. J. B.; Goncharov, V. N.; McKenty, P. W.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Verdon, C. P.

2000-01-01

The results from a series of single-mode, Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth experiments performed on the OMEGA laser system [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] using planar targets are reported. Planar targets with imposed mass perturbations were accelerated using five or six 351 nm laser beams overlapped with total intensities up to 2.5x10 14 W/cm 2 . Experiments were performed with both 3 ns ramp and 3 ns flat-topped temporal pulse shapes. The use of distributed phase plates and smoothing by spectral dispersion resulted in a laser-irradiation nonuniformity of 4%-7% over a 600 μm diam region defined by the 90% intensity contour. The temporal growth of the modulation in optical depth was measured using throughfoil radiography and was detected with an x-ray framing camera for CH targets. Two-dimensional (2-D) hydrodynamic simulations (ORCHID) [R. L. McCrory and C. P. Verdon, in Inertial Confinement Fusion (Editrice Compositori, Bologna, 1989), pp. 83-124] of the growth of 20, 31, and 60 μm wavelength perturbations were in good agreement with the experimental data when the experimental details, including noise, were included. The amplitude of the simulation optical depth is in good agreement with the experimental optical depth; therefore, great care must be taken when the growth rates are compared to dispersion formulas. Since the foil's initial condition just before it is accelerated is not that of a uniformly compressed foil, the optical density measurement does not accurately reflect the amplitude of the ablation surface but is affected by the initial nonuniform density profile. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Single-mode, Rayleigh-Taylor growth-rate measurements on the OMEGA laser system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knauer, J. P. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Betti, R. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Bradley, D. K. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Boehly, T. R. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Collins, T. J. B. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Goncharov, V. N. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); McKenty, P. W. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Meyerhofer, D. D. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Smalyuk, V. A. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); Verdon, C. P. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)] (and others)

2000-01-01

The results from a series of single-mode, Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth experiments performed on the OMEGA laser system [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] using planar targets are reported. Planar targets with imposed mass perturbations were accelerated using five or six 351 nm laser beams overlapped with total intensities up to 2.5x10{sup 14} W/cm{sup 2}. Experiments were performed with both 3 ns ramp and 3 ns flat-topped temporal pulse shapes. The use of distributed phase plates and smoothing by spectral dispersion resulted in a laser-irradiation nonuniformity of 4%-7% over a 600 {mu}m diam region defined by the 90% intensity contour. The temporal growth of the modulation in optical depth was measured using throughfoil radiography and was detected with an x-ray framing camera for CH targets. Two-dimensional (2-D) hydrodynamic simulations (ORCHID) [R. L. McCrory and C. P. Verdon, in Inertial Confinement Fusion (Editrice Compositori, Bologna, 1989), pp. 83-124] of the growth of 20, 31, and 60 {mu}m wavelength perturbations were in good agreement with the experimental data when the experimental details, including noise, were included. The amplitude of the simulation optical depth is in good agreement with the experimental optical depth; therefore, great care must be taken when the growth rates are compared to dispersion formulas. Since the foil's initial condition just before it is accelerated is not that of a uniformly compressed foil, the optical density measurement does not accurately reflect the amplitude of the ablation surface but is affected by the initial nonuniform density profile. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.

3D modeling of instabilities in multi-wire Z pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haill, T.A.; Desjarlais, M.P.; Marder, B.M.; Robinson, A.C.

1998-01-01

Recent success in generating large x-ray energies and powers from large wire-number Z pinch arrays has revived a strong interest in MHD and magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities. Two-dimensional r-z simulations of Z pinches typically start calculations with a preformed plasma sheath and seed RT instabilities with a random density perturbation. The magnitude of the random density perturbation is tuned so that the calculated x-ray radiation pulse matches the amplitude and pulse-width of experimentally measured data. While these calculations have been extremely useful in understanding the effect of RT instabilities on experiments, they do not capture all of the three-dimension structure seen in experimental images and are not truly predictive in nature. To remedy this shortcoming Sandia is developing a 3D nature of Z pinch dynamics, namely the merger of arrays of wires into a plasma sheath

Simple lecture demonstrations of instability and self-organization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, V V; Varaksina, E I; Saranin, V A

2014-01-01

A dielectric liquid layer with an electric field created inside it is proposed as a means for demonstrating the phenomenon of self-organization. The field is produced by the distributed charge transferred by a corona discharge from the tip to the liquid surface. The theory of the phenomenon is presented. An analogy with the Rayleigh – Taylor instability is drawn and a comparison with the Benard instability is given. The practicality of the method for both natural sciences and the humanities is discussed. (methodological notes)

Influence of a magnetic field on the Taylor instability in magnetic fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vislovich, A.N.

1986-01-01

The influence of a magnetic field on the stability of Couette flow between rotating cylinders is investigated in the narrow gap approximation. The governing mechanism of the instability is the classical Taylor mechanism. It was shown that rotation of the outer cylinder in the same direction as the inner does not result in a qualitative change in the structure of the theshold perturbations. When the cylinders rotate in different directions in an ordinary fluid, the Taylor vortices develop in the domain of the gap between the inner cylinder and the fluid layer for which v 0 = 0

Effects of magnetic field, sheared flow and ablative velocity on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, D.; Zhang, W.L.; Wu, Z.W.

2005-01-01

It is found that magnetic field has a stabilization effect whereas the sheared flow has a destabilization effect on the RT instability in the presence of sharp interface. RT instability only occurs in the long wave region and can be completely suppressed if the stabilizing effect of magnetic field dominates. The RT instability increases with wave number and flow shear, and acts much like a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability when destabilizing effect of sheared flow dominates. It is shown that both of ablation velocity and magnetic filed have stabilization effect on RT instability in the presence of continued interface. The stabilization effect of magnetic field takes place for whole waveband and becomes more significant for the short wavelength. The RT instability can be completely suppressed by the cooperated effect of magnetic field and ablation velocity so that the ICF target shell may be unnecessary to be accelerated to very high speed. The growth rate decreases as the density scale length increases. The stabilization effect of magnetic field is more significant for the short density scale length. (author)

Studies in the evolution of hydrodynamic instabilities and their role in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shvarts, D.; Oron, D.; Sadot, O.

2001-01-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities, such as the Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities, have a central role when trying to achieve net thermonuclear fusion energy via the method of Inertial Confinement Fusion. We shall review recent theoretical, numerical and experimental work that describes the evolution of two- and three-dimensional perturbations. Finally, the effects of these perturbation on the ignition conditions, using new self-similar solutions for perturbed burn wave propagation will be discussed. (author)

Numerical Simulation of Anisotropic Preheating Ablative Rayleigh–Taylor Instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li-Feng, Wang; Wen-Hua, Ye; Ying-Jun, Li

2010-01-01

The linear growth rate of the anisotropic preheating ablative Rayleigh–Taylor instability (ARTI) is studied by numerical simulations. The preheating model κ(T) = κ SH [1 + f(T)] is applied, where f(T) is the preheating function interpreting the preheating tongue effect in the cold plasma ahead of the ablative front. An arbitrary coefficient D is introduced in the energy equation to study the influence of transverse thermal conductivity on the growth of the ARTI. We find that enhancing diffusion in a plane transverse to the mean longitudinal flow can strongly reduce the growth of the instability. Numerical simulations exhibit a significant stabilization of the ablation front by improving the transverse thermal conduction. Our results are in general agreement with the theory analysis and numerical simulations by Masse [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98 (2007) 245001]. (physics of gases, plasmas, and electric discharges)

Modeling hydrodynamic instabilities of double ablation fronts in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanez, C.; Sanz, J.; Olazabal-Loume, M.; Ibanez, L. F.

2013-01-01

A linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability theory of double ablation (DA) fronts is developed for direct-drive inertial confinement fusion. Two approaches are discussed: an analytical discontinuity model for the radiation dominated regime of very steep DA front structure, and a numerical self-consistent model that covers more general hydrodynamic profiles behaviours. Dispersion relation results are compared to 2D simulations. (authors)

PREFACE: The 15th International Couette-Taylor Worskhop

Science.gov (United States)

Mutabazi, Innocent; Crumeyrolle, Olivier

2008-07-01

The 15th International Couette-Taylor Worskhop (ICTW15) was held in Le Havre, France from 9-12 July 2007. This regular international conference started in 1979 in Leeds, UK when the research interest in simple models of fluid flows was revitalized by systematic investigation of Rayleigh-Bénard convection and the Couette-Taylor flow. These two flow systems are good prototypes for the study of the transition to chaos and turbulence in closed flows. The workshop themes have been expanded from the original Couette-Taylor flow to include other centrifugal instabilities (Dean, Görtler, Taylor-Dean), spherical Couette flows, thermal convection instabilities, MHD, nonlinear dynamics and chaos, transition to turbulence, development of numerical and experimental techniques. The impressive longevity of the ICTW is due to the close interaction and fertile exchanges between international research groups from different disciplines: Physics and Astrophysics, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering. The present workshop was attended by 100 participants, the program included over 83 contributions with 4 plenary lectures, 68 oral communications and 17 posters. The topics include, besides the classical Couette-Taylor flows, the centrifugal flows with longitudinal vortices, the shear flows, the thermal convection in curved geometries, the spherical Couette-Taylor flow, the geophysical flows, the magneto-hydrodynamic effects including the dynamo effect, the complex flows (viscoelasticity, immiscible fluids, bubbles and migration). Selected papers have been processed through the peer review system and are published in this issue of the Journal of Physics: Conference Series. The Workshop has been sponsored by Le Havre University, the Region Council of Haute-Normandie, Le Havre City Council, CNRS (ST2I, GdR-DYCOEC), and the European Space Agency through GEOFLOW program. The French Ministry of Defense (DGA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of

Nonlinear stage of a Z-pinch instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garanin, S.F.; Chernyshev, Y.D.

1987-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of the sausage instability is analyzed for a Z-pinch with a fully developed skin effect in the current. Two-dimensional numerical calculations carried out on the sausage instability show that its occurrence leads to a stage describable by a self-similar solution when the length of the neck is fixed and the plasma compression is isentropic. At a perturbation wavelength small in comparison with the pinch radius, this stage is preceded by a stage which reduces to a nonlinear Rayleigh--Taylor instability. The dynamics of the motion of magnetic field ''bubbles'' and of plasma ''jets'' is analyzed in this case. The plasma jets emerging from the pinch do not block the pinch from the current source

Stability and instability of hydromagnetic Taylor-Couette flows

Science.gov (United States)

Rüdiger, Günther; Gellert, Marcus; Hollerbach, Rainer; Schultz, Manfred; Stefani, Frank

2018-04-01

Decades ago S. Lundquist, S. Chandrasekhar, P. H. Roberts and R. J. Tayler first posed questions about the stability of Taylor-Couette flows of conducting material under the influence of large-scale magnetic fields. These and many new questions can now be answered numerically where the nonlinear simulations even provide the instability-induced values of several transport coefficients. The cylindrical containers are axially unbounded and penetrated by magnetic background fields with axial and/or azimuthal components. The influence of the magnetic Prandtl number Pm on the onset of the instabilities is shown to be substantial. The potential flow subject to axial fields becomes unstable against axisymmetric perturbations for a certain supercritical value of the averaged Reynolds number Rm bar =√{ Re ṡ Rm } (with Re the Reynolds number of rotation, Rm its magnetic Reynolds number). Rotation profiles as flat as the quasi-Keplerian rotation law scale similarly but only for Pm ≫ 1 while for Pm ≪ 1 the instability instead sets in for supercritical Rm at an optimal value of the magnetic field. Among the considered instabilities of azimuthal fields, those of the Chandrasekhar-type, where the background field and the background flow have identical radial profiles, are particularly interesting. They are unstable against nonaxisymmetric perturbations if at least one of the diffusivities is non-zero. For Pm ≪ 1 the onset of the instability scales with Re while it scales with Rm bar for Pm ≫ 1. Even superrotation can be destabilized by azimuthal and current-free magnetic fields; this recently discovered nonaxisymmetric instability is of a double-diffusive character, thus excluding Pm = 1. It scales with Re for Pm → 0 and with Rm for Pm → ∞. The presented results allow the construction of several new experiments with liquid metals as the conducting fluid. Some of them are described here and their results will be discussed together with relevant diversifications of

Transitions to spatiotemporal chaos and turbulence of flute instabilities in a low-β magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brochard, F.; Gravier, E.; Bonhomme, G.

2006-01-01

The spatiotemporal transition scenario of flute instabilities from a regular to a turbulent state is experimentally investigated in the low-β plasma column of a thermionic discharge. The same transition scenario, i.e., the Ruelle-Takens route to turbulence, is found for both the Kelvin-Helmholtz and the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. It is demonstrated that the transition can be more or less smooth, according to the discharge mode. In both cases, a strong radial dependence is observed, which is linked to the velocity shear layer in the case of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability

Hydrodynamic instability of elastic-plastic solid plates at the early stage of acceleration.

Science.gov (United States)

Piriz, A R; Sun, Y B; Tahir, N A

2015-03-01

A model is presented for the linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability taking place at the early stage of acceleration of an elastic-plastic solid, when the shock wave is still running into the solid and is driven by a time varying pressure on the interface. When the the shock is formed sufficiently close to the interface, this stage is considered to follow a previous initial phase controlled by the Ritchmyer-Meshkov instability that settles new initial conditions. The model reproduces the behavior of the instability observed in former numerical simulation results and provides a relatively simpler physical picture than the currently existing one for this stage of the instability evolution.

Observations of supra-arcade fans: instabilities at the head of reconnection jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Innes, D. E.; Guo, L.-J.; Schmit, D.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Huang, Y.-M.

2014-01-01

Supra-arcade fans are bright, irregular regions of emission that develop during eruptive flares above flare arcades. The underlying flare arcades are thought to be a consequence of magnetic reconnection along a current sheet in the corona. At the same time, theory predicts plasma jets from the reconnection sites which are extremely difficult to observe directly because of their low densities. It has been suggested that the dark supra-arcade downflows (SADs) seen falling through supra-arcade fans may be low-density jet plasma. The head of a low-density jet directed toward higher-density plasma would be Rayleigh-Taylor unstable, and lead to the development of rapidly growing low- and high-density fingers along the interface. Using Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 131 Å images, we show details of SADs seen from three different orientations with respect to the flare arcade and current sheet, and highlight features that have been previously unexplained, such as the splitting of SADs at their heads, but are a natural consequence of instabilities above the arcade. Comparison with three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations suggests that SADs are the result of secondary instabilities of the Rayleigh-Taylor type in the exhaust of reconnection jets.

Observations of Supra-arcade Fans: Instabilities at the Head of Reconnection Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Innes, D. E.; Guo, L.-J.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Huang, Y.-M.; Schmit, D.

2014-11-01

Supra-arcade fans are bright, irregular regions of emission that develop during eruptive flares above flare arcades. The underlying flare arcades are thought to be a consequence of magnetic reconnection along a current sheet in the corona. At the same time, theory predicts plasma jets from the reconnection sites which are extremely difficult to observe directly because of their low densities. It has been suggested that the dark supra-arcade downflows (SADs) seen falling through supra-arcade fans may be low-density jet plasma. The head of a low-density jet directed toward higher-density plasma would be Rayleigh-Taylor unstable, and lead to the development of rapidly growing low- and high-density fingers along the interface. Using Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 131 Å images, we show details of SADs seen from three different orientations with respect to the flare arcade and current sheet, and highlight features that have been previously unexplained, such as the splitting of SADs at their heads, but are a natural consequence of instabilities above the arcade. Comparison with three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations suggests that SADs are the result of secondary instabilities of the Rayleigh-Taylor type in the exhaust of reconnection jets.

Hydrodynamick instabilities on ICF capsules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haan, S.W.

1991-01-01

This article summarizes our current understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities as relevant to ICF. First we discuss classical, single mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability, and nonlinear effects in the evolution of a single mode. Then we discuss multimode systems, considering: (1) the onset of nonlinearity; (2) a second order mode coupling theory for weakly nonlinear effects, and (3) the fully nonlinear regime. Two stabilization mechanisms relevant to ICF are described next: gradient scale length and convective stabilization. Then we describe a model which is meant to estimate the weakly nonlinear evolution of multi-mode systems as relevant to ICF, given the short-wavelength stabilization. Finally, we discuss the relevant code simulation capability, and experiments. At this time we are quite optimistic about our ability to estimate instability growth on ICF capsules, but further experiments and simulations are needed to verify the modeling. 52 refs

Ablative Rayleigh Taylor instability in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Clavin, Paul; Almarcha, Christophe

2005-05-01

The instability of ablation fronts strongly accelerated toward the dense medium under the conditions of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is addressed in the limit of an infinitely large density ratio. The analysis serves to demonstrate that the flow is irrotational to first order, reducing the nonlinear analysis to solve a two-potential flows problem. Vorticity appears at the following orders in the perturbation analysis. This result simplifies greatly the analysis. The possibility for using boundary integral methods opens new perspectives in the nonlinear theory of the ablative RT instability in ICF. A few examples are given at the end of the Note. To cite this article: P. Clavin, C. Almarcha, C. R. Mecanique 333 (2005).

Non-Newtonian Hele-Shaw Flow and the Saffman-Taylor Instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondic, L.; Shelley, M.J.; Palffy-Muhoray, P.

1998-01-01

We explore the Saffman-Taylor instability of a gas bubble expanding into a shear thinning liquid in a radial Hele-Shaw cell. Using Darcy close-quote s law generalized for non-Newtonian fluids, we perform simulations of the full dynamical problem. The simulations show that shear thinning significantly influences the developing interfacial patterns. Shear thinning can suppress tip splitting, and produce fingers which oscillate during growth and shed side branches. Emergent length scales show reasonable agreement with a general linear stability analysis. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

Taylor-Goertler instabilities of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and other flows governed by the interactive boundary-layer equations

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Philip; Bennett, James

1986-01-01

The Taylor-Goertler vortex instability equations are formulated for steady and unsteady interacting boundary-layer flows. The effective Goertler number is shown to be a function of the wall shape in the boundary layer and the possibility of both steady and unsteady Taylor-Goertler modes exists. As an example the steady flow in a symmetrically constricted channel is considered and it is shown that unstable Goertler vortices exist before the boundary layers at the wall develop the Goldstein singularity discussed by Smith and Daniels (1981). As an example of an unsteady spatially varying basic state, it is considered the instability of high-frequency large-amplitude two- and three-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting waves in a curved channel. It is shown that they are unstable in the first 'Stokes-layer stage' of the hierarchy of nonlinear states discussed by Smith and Burggraf (1985). This instability of Tollmien-Schlichting waves in an internal flow can occur in the presence of either convex or concave curvature. Some discussion of this instability in external flows is given.

Experiments on the Taylor system with an axial flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsameret, Avraham.

1993-02-01

This work is an experimental study of the Taylor system with a superimposed axial flow. The convective and absolute instability lines which are associated with the propagating Taylor vortices are measured. A quantitative agreement is found with the theoretical predictions. Noise-sustained structures are found to exist in the convectively unstable region, above a critical value of the through flow. These structures are propagating Taylor vortices that are characterized by a noisy power spectrum and irregular temporal dynamics of velocity amplitude. At the absolute instability line the power spectrum of the propagating Taylor vortices exhibits transition to a sharp peak, and the amplitude of the propagating Taylor vortices becomes stationary. The mechanism that generates the noise-sustained structures is identified with a process of permanent amplification of noise that is generated mainly near the inlet boundary. The intrinsic noise in the system is studied. This study is motivated by the question of whether the noise which generates the noise-sustained structures is thermal. The intensity of the intrinsic noise is estimated by several methods, which includes a comparison of data with numerical simulations of the amplitude equation with a noise term. It is found that the intrinsic noise is not thermal, although its intensity reaches the thermal noise level at small through-flow velocities. Novel states are manifested in the system as a result of interaction between the propagating Taylor vortices and spiral modes. These states are studied and their spatial and temporal properties are analyzed. (author)

Planar Rayleigh-Taylor and Feed-through experiments with CH(Ge) on OMEGA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casner, A.; Huser, G.; Jadaud, J.P.; Liberatore, S.; Galmiche, D.; Vandenboomgaerde, M.

2006-01-01

Germanium-doped CH (CHGe) is one nominal ablator for the laser Megajoule (LMJ) target design. In order to investigate its properties we performed indirect drive planar Rayleigh-Taylor experiments on the OMEGA laser facility. An innovative hohlraum with an internal 'rugby-ball' shape has been experimentally characterized for the first time. On each shot foil motion and modulations growth were simultaneously measured by side-on and face-on radiography, while drive was assessed by measuring radiation escaping through the hohlraum laser-entrance-hole. Modulations growth and foil motion are fully consistent with each other, and also with hydro-code simulations accounting for the effective acceleration of the sample. This complete set of data allows a more stringent comparison between the hydro-code simulations and the experimental results. We compare CHGe perturbations growth with those acquired on CHBr in the same experimental configuration. These preliminary results are the first step toward a test-bed validation of CH(Ge) as an ablator on OMEGA and further on the laser integration line (LIL) at LMJ

Hydrodynamic instabilities in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, J.R.

1977-01-01

Inertial confinement fusion targets generally consist of hollow high-density spheres filled with low density thermonuclear fuel. Targets driven ablatively by electrons, ions, or lasers are potentially unstable during the initial acceleration phase. Later in time, the relatively low density fuel decelerates the dense inner portion of the sphere (termed the pusher), permitting unstable growth at the fuel-pusher interface. The instabilities are of the Rayleigh-Taylor variety, modified by thermal and viscous diffusion and convection. These problems have been analyzed by many in recent years using both linearized perturbation methods and direct numerical simulation. Examples of two-dimensional simulations of the fuel-pusher instability in electron beam fusion targets will be presented, along with a review of possible stabilization mechanisms

Dynamic evolution of Rayleigh-Taylor bubbles from sinusoidal, W-shaped, and random perturbations

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhi-Rui; Zhang, You-Sheng; Tian, Bao-Lin

2018-03-01

Implicit large eddy simulations of two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability at different density ratios (i.e., Atwood number A =0.05 , 0.5, and 0.9) are conducted to investigate the late-time dynamics of bubbles. To produce a flow field full of bounded, semibounded, and chaotic bubbles, three problems with distinct perturbations are simulated: (I) periodic sinusoidal perturbation, (II) isolated W-shaped perturbation, and (III) random short-wave perturbations. The evolution of height h , velocity v , and diameter D of the (dominant) bubble with time t are formulated and analyzed. In problem I, during the quasisteady stage, the simulations confirm Goncharov's prediction of the terminal speed v∞=Fr√{A g λ /(1 +A ) } , where Fr=1 /√{3 π } . Moreover, the diameter D at this stage is found to be proportional to the initial perturbation wavelength λ as D ≈λ . This differed from Daly's simulation result of D =λ (1 +A )/2 . In problem II, a W-shaped perturbation is designed to produce a bubble environment similar to that of chaotic bubbles in problem III. We obtain a similar terminal speed relationship as above, but Fr is replaced by Frw≈0.63 . In problem III, the simulations show that h grows quadratically with the bubble acceleration constant α ≡h /(A g t2)≈0.05 , and D expands self-similarly with a steady aspect ratio β ≡D /h ≈(1 +A )/2 , which differs from existing theories. Therefore, following the mechanism of self-similar growth, we derive a relationship of β =4 α (1 +A ) /Frw2 to relate the evolution of chaotic bubbles in problem III to that of semibounded bubbles in problem II. The validity of this relationship highlights the fact that the dynamics of chaotic bubbles in problem III are similar to the semibounded isolated bubbles in problem II, but not to that of bounded periodic bubbles in problem I.

Laser imprint reduction with a shaping pulse, oscillatory Richtmyer-Meshkov to Rayleigh-Taylor transition and other coherent effects in plastic-foam targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metzler, N.; Velikovich, A.L.; Schmitt, A.J.; Karasik, M.; Serlin, V.; Mostovych, A.N.; Obenschain, S.P.; Gardner, J.H.; Aglitskiy, Y.

2003-01-01

A substantial reduction of the laser imprint with a short, low-energy 'shaping' laser pulse incident upon a foam-plastic sandwich target prior to the main laser pulse has been demonstrated to be possible [Metzler et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 5050 (2002)]. Nonuniformity of this shaping pulse, however, produces standing sonic waves in the target. Laser-imprinted seeds for the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth then emerge from the interaction of these waves with the strong shock wave launched by the drive laser pulse. Such coherent interaction between different waves and modes perturbed at the same wavelength is shown to be important in a variety of situations relevant to the inertial confinement fusion studies. As an example, an oscillatory transition from the classical Richtmyer-Meshkov shock-interface instability development to the RT growth exhibiting a characteristic phase reversal in a target of finite thickness is described. Another example refers to the feedout mechanism of seeding the perturbations that come from the nonuniformities of the rear (inner) surface of the laser target. The coherent interaction between the strong shock wave from the main laser pulse and the rippled rarefaction wave produced by a low-intensity foot of the pulse produces observable effects, such as an extra phase reversal compared to the case of no foot. Some of these predictions are shown to be consistent with our new experimental results obtained in the feedout geometry on the Nike laser facility [S. P. Obenschain et al. Phys. Plasmas 3, 2098 (1996)

In-silico investigation of Rayleigh instability in ultra-thin copper nanowire in premelting regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutta, Amlan [Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India); Chatterjee, Swastika; Raychaudhuri, A. K. [Unit for Nanoscience and Technology, Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India); Moitra, Amitava [Thematic Unit of Excellence on Computational Materials Science, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India); Saha-Dasgupta, T. [Thematic Unit of Excellence on Computational Materials Science, and Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India)

2014-06-28

Motivated by the recent experimental reports, we explore the formation of Rayleigh-like instability in metallic nanowires during the solid state annealing, a concept originally introduced for liquid columns. Our molecular dynamics study using realistic interatomic potential reveals instability induced pattern formation at temperatures even below the melting temperature of the wire, in accordance with the experimental observations. We find that this is driven by the surface diffusion, which causes plastic slips in the system initiating necking in the nanowire. We further find the surface dominated mass-transport is of subdiffusive nature with time exponent less than unity. Our study provides an atomistic perspective of the instability formation in nanostructured solid phase.

The turbulent mixing of non-Newtonian fluids

Science.gov (United States)

Demianov, A. Yu; Doludenko, A. N.; Inogamov, N. A.; Son, E. E.

2013-07-01

The turbulence caused by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability represents a complicated phenomenon. It is usually related to the major hydrodynamic activities, the tangling of the media contact boundary, merging, separation and intermixing of originally smoothed initial structures. An important role in the theory of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is played by the discontinuity of density on a contact interface between two homogeneous (in terms of density) fluids. A numerical modeling of the intermixing of two fluids with different rheology whose densities differ twice as a result of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability has been carried out. The coefficients of turbulent intermixing in a multimode statement of the problem for the Bingham, dilatant and pseudo-plastic fluids have been obtained.

THE SATURATION OF SASI BY PARASITIC INSTABILITIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guilet, Jerome; Sato, Jun'ichi; Foglizzo, Thierry

2010-01-01

The standing accretion shock instability (SASI) is commonly believed to be responsible for large amplitude dipolar oscillations of the stalled shock during core collapse, potentially leading to an asymmetric supernovae explosion. The degree of asymmetry depends on the amplitude of SASI, but the nonlinear saturation mechanism has never been elucidated. We investigate the role of parasitic instabilities as a possible cause of nonlinear SASI saturation. As the shock oscillations create both vorticity and entropy gradients, we show that both Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor types of instabilities are able to grow on a SASI mode if its amplitude is large enough. We obtain simple estimates of their growth rates, taking into account the effects of advection and entropy stratification. In the context of the advective-acoustic cycle, we use numerical simulations to demonstrate how the acoustic feedback can be decreased if a parasitic instability distorts the advected structure. The amplitude of the shock deformation is estimated analytically in this scenario. When applied to the set up of Fernandez and Thompson, this saturation mechanism is able to explain the dramatic decrease of the SASI power when both the nuclear dissociation energy and the cooling rate are varied. Our results open new perspectives for anticipating the effect, on the SASI amplitude, of the physical ingredients involved in the modeling of the collapsing star.

A heuristic model of the wire array z-pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haines, M.G.

1998-01-01

Recent experimental results at the Sandia National Laboratory have shown that the X-ray power increases as the number of wires n employed is increased, with a sharper increase in power when the wire gap is below a critical value. This paper proposes a model that can not only explain these phenomena, but also shows how the initial perturbations that lead to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability scale as n -1/2 . The model predicts the shell thickness at merger of the expanding separate wires which will mainly determine the final pinch radius. The largest amplitude Rayleigh-Taylor mode at the pinch time is also found, in reasonable agreement with experiment

Measurements of Rayleigh-Taylor-Induced Magnetic Fields in the Linear and Non-linear Regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Manuel, Mario

2012-10-01

Magnetic fields are generated in plasmas by the Biermann-battery, or thermoelectric, source driven by non-collinear temperature and density gradients. The ablation front in laser-irradiated targets is susceptible to Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) growth that produces gradients capable of generating magnetic fields. Measurements of these RT-induced magnetic fields in planar foils have been made using a combination of x-ray and monoenergetic-proton radiography techniques. At a perturbation wavelength of 120 μm, proton radiographs indicate an increase of the magnetic-field strength from ˜1 to ˜10 Tesla during the linear growth phase. A characteristic change in field structure was observed later in time for irradiated foils of different initial surface perturbations. Proton radiographs show a regular cellular configuration initiated at the same time during the drive, independent of the initial foil conditions. This non-linear behavior has been experimentally investigated and the source of these characteristic features will be discussed.

Stability of accelerated metal shells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahsiri, H.

1976-01-01

A systematic treatment has been developed for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of an accelerated liner. It is applicable to one-dimensional models either compressible or incompressible. With this model several points have been clarified. For an incompressible liner model, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability will have about five e-folding periods and the usual growth rate is independent of the current distribution or current rise time. Adequate stability will therefore depend on the magnitude of the initial perturbations or the precision of the initial liner and the thickness over which the shell is accelerated. However, for a compressible model, theory predicts that the current rise time is important and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is suppressed if the current rise time is less than the shock transit time

Collisionless interchange instability 1. Numerical simulations of intermediate-scale irregularities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zargham, S.; Seyler, C.E.

1987-01-01

Numerical simulations of the generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability are presented. The model and simulations are applicable to bottomside and topside spread F, unstable barium cloud dynamics, and collisional interchange instability in general. The principal result is that the evolution of the effective electric field, and shocklike structures propagating perpendicular to E eff along the extrema of the quasiperiodic structures. The spectral properties of the nonlinear state are analyzed using one-dimensional power spectra calculated along spatial trajectories for selected angles to E eff . In this way a direct comparison to in situ probe data can be made. The inherent anisotropy of the nonlinear state is reflected in major qualitative differences between the spectra taken parallel to and perpendicular to E eff . The fundamental finding of the present work is that anisotropy in interchange dynamics is much greater than had been previously reported. This strong anisotropy can explain much of the spectral and spatial structural characteristics of both bottomside and topside spread F. In a companion paper a comparison of the simulation results to various in situ data sets is given

Atomic Power | Taylor | Zede Journal

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Zede Journal. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 3 (1968) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register. Atomic Power. D Taylor. Abstract. No Abstract. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT ...

Simulating Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability using PPM hydrodynamics @scale on Roadrunner (u)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodward, Paul R [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dimonte, Guy [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Rockefeller, Gabriel M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Fryer, Christopher L [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dimonte, Guy [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dai, W [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kares, R. J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2011-01-05

The effect of initial conditions on the self-similar growth of the RT instability is investigated using a hydrodynamics code based on the piecewise-parabolic-method (PPM). The PPM code was converted to the hybrid architecture of Roadrunner in order to perform the simulations at extremely high speed and spatial resolution. This paper describes the code conversion to the Cell processor, the scaling studies to 12 CU's on Roadrunner and results on the dependence of the RT growth rate on initial conditions. The relevance of the Roadrunner implementation of this PPM code to other existing and anticipated computer architectures is also discussed.

Numerical analysis of anisotropic diffusion effect on ICF hydrodynamic instabilities

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Olazabal-Loumé M.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The effect of anisotropic diffusion on hydrodynamic instabilities in the context of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF flows is numerically assessed. This anisotropy occurs in indirect-drive when laminated ablators are used to modify the lateral transport [1,2]. In direct-drive, non-local transport mechanisms and magnetic fields may modify the lateral conduction [3]. In this work, numerical simulations obtained with the code PERLE [4], dedicated to linear stability analysis, are compared with previous theoretical results [5]. In these approaches, the diffusion anisotropy can be controlled by a characteristic coefficient which enables a comprehensive study. This work provides new results on the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (RT, ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM and Darrieus-Landau (DL instabilities.

Nonlinear evolution of the sausage instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Book, D.L.; Ott, E.; Lampe, M.

1976-01-01

Sausage instabilities of an incompressible, uniform, perfectly conducting Z pinch are studied in the nonlinear regime. In the long wavelength limit (analogous to the ''shallow water theory'' of hydrodynamics), a simplified set of universal fluid equations is derived, with no radial dependence, and with all parameters scaled out. Analytic and numerical solutions of these one-dimensional equations show that an initially sinusoidal perturbation grows into a ''spindle'' or cylindrical ''spike and bubble'' shape, with sharp radial maxima. In the short wavelength limit, the problem is shown to be mathematically equivalent to the planar semi-infinite Rayleigh--Taylor instability, which also grows into a spike-and-bubble shape. Since the spindle shape is common to both limits, it is concluded that it probably obtains in all cases. The results are in agreement with dense plasma focus experiments

Saffman-Taylor Instability for a non-Newtonian fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Daripa, Prabir

2013-11-01

Motivated by applications, we study classical Saffman-Taylor instability involving displacement of an Oldroyd-B fluid displaced by air in a Hele-Shaw cell. The lubrication approximation is used by neglecting the vertical component of the velocity. We obtain an explicit expression of one of the components of the extra-stress perturbations tensor in terms of the horizontal velocity perturbations. The main result is an explicit formula for the growth constant (in time) of perturbations, given by a ratio in which a term depending on the relaxation and retardation (time) constants appears in the denominator of the ratio. This exact result compares extremely well with known numerical results. It is found that flow is more unstable than the corresponding Newtonian case. This is a joint work with Gelu Pasa. The research has been made possible by an NPRP Grant # 08-777-1-141 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of the Qatar Foundation).

Sedimentation and gravitational instability of Escherichia coli Suspension

Science.gov (United States)

Salin, Dominique; Douarche, Carine

2017-11-01

The successive runs and tumbles of Escherichia coli bacteria provide an active matter suspension of rod-like particles with a large swimming, Brownian like, diffusion. As opposed to inactive elongated particles, this diffusion prevents clustering of the particles and hence instability in the gravity field. We measure the time dependent E . coli concentration profile during their sedimentation. After some hours, due to the dioxygen consumption, a motile / non-motile front forms leading to a Rayleigh-Taylor type gravitational instability. Analysing both sedimentation and instability in the framework of active particle suspensions, we can measure the relevant bacteria hydrodynamic characteristics such as its single particle sedimentation velocity and its hindrance volume. Comparing these quantities to the ones of equivalent passive particles (ellipsoid, rod) we tentatively infer the effective shape and size of the bacteria involved in its buoyancy induced advection and diffusion. Laboratoire FAST University Paris Saclay France.

3-D simulations to investigate initial condition effects on the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor mixing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrews, Malcolm J [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2008-01-01

The effect of initial conditions on the growth rate of turbulent Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing has been studied using carefully formulated numerical simulations. An integrated large-eddy simulation (ILES) that uses a finite-volume technique was employed to solve the three-dimensional incompressible Euler equations with numerical dissipation. The initial conditions were chosen to test the dependence of the RT growth parameters ({alpha}{sub b}, {alpha}{sub s}) on variations in (a) the spectral bandwidth, (b) the spectral shape, and (c) discrete banded spectra. Our findings support the notion that the overall growth of the RT mixing is strongly dependent on initial conditions. Variation in spectral shapes and bandwidths are found to have a complex effect of the late time development of the RT mixing layer, and raise the question of whether we can design RT transition and turbulence based on our choice of initial conditions. In addition, our results provide a useful database for the initialization and development of closures describing RT transition and turbulence.

Linear Simulations of the Cylindrical Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability in Hydrodynamics and MHD

KAUST Repository

Gao, Song

2013-05-01

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability occurs when density-stratified interfaces are impulsively accelerated, typically by a shock wave. We present a numerical method to simulate the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability in cylindrical geometry. The ideal MHD equations are linearized about a time-dependent base state to yield linear partial differential equations governing the perturbed quantities. Convergence tests demonstrate that second order accuracy is achieved for smooth flows, and the order of accuracy is between first and second order for flows with discontinuities. Numerical results are presented for cases of interfaces with positive Atwood number and purely azimuthal perturbations. In hydrodynamics, the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability growth of perturbations is followed by a Rayleigh-Taylor growth phase. In MHD, numerical results indicate that the perturbations can be suppressed for sufficiently large perturbation wavenumbers and magnetic fields.

Multi-modal investigations of compressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability in stratified media Project: w17_multirti

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Livescu, Daniel [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Wieland, Scott A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); Reckinger, Scott [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States)

2018-02-27

The simulations compare, for the first time, three practically important background stratifications under thermal equilibrium and out of equilibrium (isentropic, isopycnic) and show significant differences on the instability growth

A Computational Study of Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability with Surface Tension

Science.gov (United States)

Francois, Marianne; Velechovsky, Jan; Jibben, Zach; Masser, Thomas; LANL Collaboration

2017-11-01

We have added the capability to model surface tension in our adaptive mesh refinement compressible flow solver, xRage. Our surface tension capability employs the continuum surface force to model surface tension and the height function method to compute curvatures. We have verified our model implementation for the static and oscillating droplets test cases and the linear regime of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. With this newly added capability, we have performed a numerical study of the effects of surface tension on single-mode and multi-mode Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. This work was performed under the auspices of the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy at Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52 - 06NA25396.

Predictions of the microstructural contribution to instability seeding in beryllium ICF capsules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, Nelson M.; Swift, Damian C.

2004-01-01

The constitutive properties of beryllium are anisotropic. During the implosion of an inertial confinement fusion capsule, it is possible for instabilities to be seeded from the microstructure. We are using experiment and theory to place constraints on the microstructure and loading history. The relation between surface roughness and amplitude of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities has been characterized well. Here we present a method of relating the microstructure to an equivalent surface roughness, using continuum mechanical simulations of shock waves in polycrystalline beryllium. Beryllium was treated using a single-crystal plasticity model developed using ab initio quantum mechanics for the equation of state and elasticity, and laser-driven shock wave measurements to calibrate representations of dislocation and disclination dynamics

Present status of direct drive inertial confinement fusion research at ILE Osaka University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamanaka, Tatsuhiko; Nakai, Sadao

1993-01-01

The activities of direct drive implosion experiments at ILE of Osaka Univ. are focused on the planar- and spherical-target experiments relating to Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the implosion experiments of cryogenic targets with low density plastic foam shell overcoated by a solid plastic layer. In the spherical shell target implosions a very early x-ray emission (refer as pre-emission hereafter) has been observed at the center of the target. The appearance of the pre-emission is related to the illumination nonuniformity. The appearance time of the pre-emission, the electron temperature of the source plasma of the pre-emission and the possibility of Rayleigh-Taylor instability have been studied experimentally to understand the mechanism of the pre-emission. Shell break up by Rayleigh-Taylor instability has been concluded to be the most probable mechanism of the pre-emission

On specification of initial conditions in turbulence models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rollin, Bertrand [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Andrews, Malcolm J [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2010-12-01

Recent research has shown that initial conditions have a significant influence on the evolution of a flow towards turbulence. This important finding offers a unique opportunity for turbulence control, but also raises the question of how to properly specify initial conditions in turbulence models. We study this problem in the context of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is an interfacial fluid instability that leads to turbulence and turbulent mixing. It occurs when a light fluid is accelerated in to a heavy fluid because of misalignment between density and pressure gradients. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability plays a key role in a wide variety of natural and man-made flows ranging from supernovae to the implosion phase of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). Our approach consists of providing the turbulence models with a predicted profile of its key variables at the appropriate time in accordance to the initial conditions of the problem.

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the K-shell radiation yield for imploding liners

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baksht, R B; Datsko, I M; Labetskij, A Yu; Russkikh, A G; Fedyunin, A V [High Current Electronics Inst., Tomsk (Russian Federation)

1997-12-31

Experiments were carried out on the GIT-4 1.5 MA inductive generator with a 1.2 {mu}s current delivery to the inductive store. A single gas puff with an initial diameter of 28 mm was used as the load. Three different kinds of gas, Kr, Ar, and Ne, were used. The dependence of the X-ray yield on the gas liner mass was investigated. Experimental investigation of the RT-instability was carried out with the help of a streak camera. The RT wave amplitude and X-ray yield were correlated. (author). 4 figs., 5 refs.

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the K-shell radiation yield for imploding liners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baksht, R.B.; Datsko, I.M.; Labetskij, A.Yu.; Russkikh, A.G.; Fedyunin, A.V.

1996-01-01

Experiments were carried out on the GIT-4 1.5 MA inductive generator with a 1.2 μs current delivery to the inductive store. A single gas puff with an initial diameter of 28 mm was used as the load. Three different kinds of gas, Kr, Ar, and Ne, were used. The dependence of the X-ray yield on the gas liner mass was investigated. Experimental investigation of the RT-instability was carried out with the help of a streak camera. The RT wave amplitude and X-ray yield were correlated. (author). 4 figs., 5 refs

Hydrodynamic instabilities and concentration polarization coupled by osmotic pressure in a Taylor-Couette cell

Science.gov (United States)

Martinand, Denis; Tilton, Nils

2016-11-01

This study addresses analytically and numerically the coupling between hydrodynamic instabilities and osmotic pressure driven by concentration polarization. The configuration consists of a Taylor-Couette cell filled with a Newtonian fluid carrying a passive scalar. Whereas the concentric inner and outer cylinders are membranes permeable to the solvent, they totally reject the scalar. As a radial in- or outflow of solvent is imposed through both cylinders, a concentration boundary layer develops on the cylinder where the solvent exits, until an equilibrium steady state is reached. In addition, the rotation of the inner cylinder is used to drive centrifugal instabilities in the form of toroidal vortices, which interact with the concentration boundary layer. By means of the osmotic pressure, concentration polarization is found to promote or hinder the hydrodynamic instabilities, depending on capacity of the vortices and diffusion to increase the concentration field at the membrane. The results obtained by analytical stability analysis agree with dedicated Direct Numerical Simulations.

Progress toward Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in a High-Energy-Density Plasma on the Nike laser

Science.gov (United States)

Harding, E. C.; Drake, R. P.; Gillespie, R. S.; Grosskopf, M. J.; Huntington, C. M.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Weaver, J. L.; Velikovich, A. L.; Plewa, T.; Dwarkadas, V. V.

2008-04-01

In the realm of high-energy-density (HED) plasmas, there exist three primary hydrodynamic instabilities of concern: Rayleigh-Taylor (RT), Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM), and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH). Although the RT and the RM instabilities have been readily observed and diagnosed in the laboratory, the KH instability remains relatively unexplored in HED plasmas. Unlike the RT and RM instabilities, the KH instability is driven by a lifting force generated by a strong velocity gradient in a stratified fluid. Understanding the KH instability mechanism in HED plasmas will provide essential insight into oblique shock systems, jets, mass stripping, and detailed RT-spike development. In addition, our KH experiment will help provide the groundwork for future transition to turbulence experiments. We present 2D FLASH simulations and experimental data from our initial attempts to create a pure KH system using the Nike laser at the Naval Research Laboratory.

Non-linear instability analysis of the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation: The Taylor-Green vortex problem

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Tapan K.; Sharma, Nidhi; Sengupta, Aditi

2018-05-01

An enstrophy-based non-linear instability analysis of the Navier-Stokes equation for two-dimensional (2D) flows is presented here, using the Taylor-Green vortex (TGV) problem as an example. This problem admits a time-dependent analytical solution as the base flow, whose instability is traced here. The numerical study of the evolution of the Taylor-Green vortices shows that the flow becomes turbulent, but an explanation for this transition has not been advanced so far. The deviation of the numerical solution from the analytical solution is studied here using a high accuracy compact scheme on a non-uniform grid (NUC6), with the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. The stream function-vorticity (ψ, ω) formulation of the governing equations is solved here in a periodic square domain with four vortices at t = 0. Simulations performed at different Reynolds numbers reveal that numerical errors in computations induce a breakdown of symmetry and simultaneous fragmentation of vortices. It is shown that the actual physical instability is triggered by the growth of disturbances and is explained by the evolution of disturbance mechanical energy and enstrophy. The disturbance evolution equations have been traced by looking at (a) disturbance mechanical energy of the Navier-Stokes equation, as described in the work of Sengupta et al., "Vortex-induced instability of an incompressible wall-bounded shear layer," J. Fluid Mech. 493, 277-286 (2003), and (b) the creation of rotationality via the enstrophy transport equation in the work of Sengupta et al., "Diffusion in inhomogeneous flows: Unique equilibrium state in an internal flow," Comput. Fluids 88, 440-451 (2013).

Rayleigh Instability-Assisted Satellite Droplets Elimination in Inkjet Printing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qiang; Li, Huizeng; Li, Mingzhu; Li, Yanan; Chen, Shuoran; Bao, Bin; Song, Yanlin

2017-11-29

Elimination of satellite droplets in inkjet printing has long been desired for high-resolution and precision printing of functional materials and tissues. Generally, the strategy to suppress satellite droplets is to control ink properties, such as viscosity or surface tension, to assist ink filaments in retracting into one drop. However, this strategy brings new restrictions to the ink, such as ink viscosity, surface tension, and concentration. Here, we report an alternative strategy that the satellite droplets are eliminated by enhancing Rayleigh instability of filament at the break point to accelerate pinch-off of the droplet from the nozzle. A superhydrophobic and ultralow adhesive nozzle with cone morphology exhibits the capability to eliminate satellite droplets by cutting the ink filament at breakup point effectively. As a result, the nozzles with different sizes (10-80 μm) are able to print more inks (1 printing electronics and biotechnologies.

An experimental study of the connection between the hydrodynamic and phase-transition descriptions of the Couette-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berland, T.; Joessang, T.; Feder, J.

1986-04-01

The laser doppler velocimetry technique has been used to measure the radial flow velocity in the Taylor vortex flow at several Taylor numbers close to and above the critical value. The first four harmonics of the flow field have been analyzed using a model described by Davey. The analysis demonstrates that the amplitude of the first harmonic of the super-critical flow field can be regarded as the ''order parameter'' of the transition from the laminar Couette flow to the Taylor vortex flow. This transition is described by a generalized Landau theory for classical second order mean-field phase transitions. The analysis of the results of carefully performed experiments not only confirms the findings of earlier experimental work, but in addition all the significant parameters of the full Davey model for this hydrodynamic instability are determied

Drive development for an 10 Mbar Rayleigh-Taylor strength experiment on the National Ignition Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Prisbrey, Shon; Park, Hye-Sook; Huntington, Channing; McNaney, James; Smith, Raym; Wehrenberg, Christopher; Swift, Damian; Panas, Cynthia; Lord, Dawn; Arsenlis, Athanasios

2017-10-01

Strength can be inferred by the amount a Rayleigh-Taylor surface deviates from classical growth when subjected to acceleration. If the acceleration is great enough, even materials highly resistant to deformation will flow. We use the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to create an acceleration profile that will cause sample metals, such as Mo or Cu, to reach peak pressures of 10 Mbar without inducing shock melt. To create such a profile we shock release a stepped density reservoir across a large gap with the stagnation of the reservoir on the far side of the gap resulting in the desired pressure drive history. Low density steps (foams) are a necessary part of this design and have been studied in the last several years on the Omega and NIF facilities. We will present computational and experimental progress that has been made on the 10 Mbar drive designs - including recent drive shots carried out at the NIF. This work was performed under the auspices of the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, (LLNS) under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-734781.

Spike morphology in blast-wave-driven instability experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuranz, C. C.; Drake, R. P.; Grosskopf, M. J.; Fryxell, B.; Budde, A.; Hansen, J. F.; Miles, A. R.; Plewa, T.; Hearn, N.; Knauer, J.

2010-01-01

The laboratory experiments described in the present paper observe the blast-wave-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability with three-dimensional (3D) initial conditions. About 5 kJ of energy from the Omega laser creates conditions similar to those of the He-H interface during the explosion phase of a supernova. The experimental target is a 150 μm thick plastic disk followed by a low-density foam. The plastic piece has an embedded, 3D perturbation. The basic structure of the pattern is two orthogonal sine waves where each sine wave has an amplitude of 2.5 μm and a wavelength of 71 μm. In some experiments, an additional wavelength is added to explore the interaction of modes. In experiments with 3D initial conditions the spike morphology differs from what has been observed in other Rayleigh-Taylor experiments and simulations. Under certain conditions, experimental radiographs show some mass extending from the interface to the shock front. Current simulations show neither the spike morphology nor the spike penetration observed in the experiments. The amount of mass reaching the shock front is analyzed and potential causes for the spike morphology and the spikes reaching the shock are discussed. One such hypothesis is that these phenomena may be caused by magnetic pressure, generated by an azimuthal magnetic field produced by the plasma dynamics.

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT NUMERICAL INTERFACE METHODS ON HYDRODYNAMICS INSTABILITY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

FRANCOIS, MARIANNE M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; DENDY, EDWARD D. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; LOWRIE, ROBERT B. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; LIVESCU, DANIEL [Los Alamos National Laboratory; STEINKAMP, MICHAEL J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2007-01-11

The authors compare the effects of different numerical schemes for the advection and material interface treatments on the single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability, using the RAGE hydro-code. The interface growth and its surface density (interfacial area) versus time are investigated. The surface density metric shows to be better suited to characterize the difference in the flow, than the conventional interface growth metric. They have found that Van Leer's limiter combined to no interface treatment leads to the largest surface area. Finally, to quantify the difference between the numerical methods they have estimated the numerical viscosity in the linear-regime at different scales.

CHF Enhancement by Surface Patterning based on Hydrodynamic Instability Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Han; Bang, In Cheol [UNIST, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

If the power density of a device exceeds the CHF point, bubbles and vapor films will be covered on the whole heater surface. Because vapor films have much lower heat transfer capabilities compared to the liquid layer, the temperature of the heater surface will increase rapidly, and the device could be damaged due to the heater burnout. Therefore, the prediction and the enhancement of the CHF are essential to maximizing the efficient heat removal region. Numerous studies have been conducted to describe the CHF phenomenon, such as hydrodynamic instability theory, macrolayer dryout theory, hot/dry spot theory, and bubble interaction theory. The hydrodynamic instability model, proposed by Zuber, is the predominant CHF model that Helmholtz instability attributed to the CHF. Zuber assumed that the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability wavelength is related to the Helmholtz wavelength. Lienhard and Dhir proposed a CHF model that Helmholtz instability wavelength is equal to the most dangerous RT wavelength. In addition, they showed the heater size effect using various heater surfaces. Lu et al. proposed a modified hydrodynamic theory that the Helmholtz instability was assumed to be the heater size and the area of the vapor column was used as a fitting factor. The modified hydrodynamic theories were based on the change of Helmholtz wavelength related to the RT instability wavelength. In the present study, the change of the RT instability wavelength, based on the heater surface modification, was conducted to show the CHF enhancement based on the heater surface patterning in a plate pool boiling. Sapphire glass was used as a base heater substrate, and the Pt film was used as a heating source. The patterning surface was based on the change of RT instability wavelength. In the present work the study of the CHF was conducted using bare Pt and patterned heating surfaces.

Wobblers and Rayleigh–Taylor instability mitigation in HIF target implosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawata, S.; Kurosaki, T.; Noguchi, K.; Suzuki, T.; Koseki, S.; Barada, D.; Ma, Y.Y.; Ogoyski, A.I.; Barnard, J.J.; Logan, B.G.

2014-01-01

A few percent wobbling-beam illumination nonuniformity is realized in heavy ion inertial confinement fusion (HIF) by a spiraling beam axis motion in the paper. The wobbling heavy ion beam (HIB) illumination was proposed to realize a uniform implosion in HIF. However, the initial imprint of the wobbling HIBs was a serious problem and introduces a large unacceptable energy deposition nonuniformity. In wobbling the HIBs illumination, the illumination nonuniformity oscillates in time and space. The oscillating-HIB energy deposition may contribute to the reduction of the HIBs' illumination nonuniformity and also the mitigation of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability. The wobbling HIBs can be generated in HIB accelerators and the oscillating frequency may be from several 100 MHz to 1 GHz. Three-dimensional HIBs illumination computations presented here show that the few percent wobbling HIBs illumination nonuniformity oscillates successfully with the same wobbling HIBs frequency

Fiber amplifiers under thermal loads leading to transverse mode instability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Mette Marie; Hansen, Kristian Rymann; Alkeskjold, Thomas Tanggaard

2014-01-01

Transverse mode instability (TMI) in rare-earth doped fiber amplifiers operating above an average power threshold is caused by intermodal stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering due to quantum defect heating. We investigate thermally induced longitudinal waveguide perturbations causing power...

Effect of initial conditions and Mach number on the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability in ICF like conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Pooja; She, Dan; Lim, Hyunkyung; Glimm, James

2015-11-01

The qualitative and quantitative effect of initial conditions (linear and non-linear) and high Mach number (1.3 and 1.45) is studied on the turbulent mixing induced by the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability in idealized ICF conditions. The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability seeds Rayleigh-taylor instabilities in ICF experiments and is one of the factors that contributes to reduced performance of ICF experiments. Its also found in collapsing cores of stars and supersonic combustion. We use the Stony Brook University code, FronTier, which is verified via a code comparison study against the AMR multiphysics code FLASH, and validated against vertical shock tube experiments done by the LANL Extreme Fluids Team. These simulations are designed as a step towards simulating more realistic ICF conditions and quantifying the detrimental effects of mixing on the yield.

Flow effects on the stability of z-pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shumlak, U.; Hartman, C.W.

1996-01-01

The effect of an axial flow on the m = 1 kink instability in z-pinches is studied numerically by reducing the linearized ideal MHD equations to a one-dimensional eigenvalue equation for the radial displacement. The derivation of the displacement equation for equilibria with axial flows will be presented. A diffuse z-pinch equilibrium is chosen that is made marginally stable to the m = 0 sausage mode by tailoring the pressure profile. The principle result reveals that a sheared axial flow does stabilize the kink mode when the shear exceeds a threshold value. Additionally, the m = 0 sausage mode is driven from marginal stability into the stable regime which suggests that the equilibrium pressure profile control can be relaxed. Fast z-pinches such as liner implosions are plagued by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability which destroys the liner and disrupts the current path before the liner arrives on axis. A sheared axial flow in a liner may quench the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the same way that it quenches MHD instabilities in a diffuse z-pinch. Simulation results will be presented showing the effect of a sheared axial flow on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a fast liner implosion

Hydrodynamic instability experiments on the HIPER laser facility at the Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shigemori, K.; Azechi, H.; Fujioka, S.

2003-01-01

We present recent results on the hydrodynamic instability experiments on the HIPER (High Intensity Plasma Experimental Research) laser facility at ILE, Osaka University. We measured the Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate on the HIPER laser. Also measured were all parameters that determine the RT growth rate. We focused on the measurements of the ablation density of laser-irradiated targets, which had not been experimentally measured. The experimental results were compared with calculations with one dimensional simulation coupled with Fokker-Planck equation for electron transport. (author)

Hydrodynamic scaling of the deceleration-phase Rayleigh–Taylor instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bose, A., E-mail: abos@lle.rochester.edu; Woo, K. M.; Betti, R. [Laboratory of Laser Energetics, Department of Physics, and Fusion Science Center, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623-1299 (United States); Nora, R. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)

2015-07-15

The scaling of the deceleration phase of inertial fusion direct-drive implosions is investigated for OMEGA and National Ignition Facility (NIF)-size targets. It is shown that the deceleration-phase Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI) does not scale hydro-equivalently with implosion size. This is because ablative stabilization resulting from thermal conduction and radiation transport in a spherically converging geometry is different on the two scales. As a consequence, NIF-scale implosions show lower hot-spot density and mass ablation velocity, allowing for higher RTI growth. On the contrary, stabilization resulting from density-gradient enhancement, caused by reabsorption of radiation emitted from the hot spot, is higher on NIF implosions. Since the RTI mitigation related to thermal conduction and radiation transport scale oppositely with implosion size, the degradation of implosion performance caused by the deceleration RTI is similar for NIF and OMEGA targets. It is found that a minimum threshold for the no-α Lawson ignition parameter of χ{sub Ω} ≈ 0.2 at the OMEGA scale is required to demonstrate hydro-equivalent ignition at the NIF scale for symmetric direct-drive implosions.

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability of a double-layer interface in convergent geometry with magnetohydrodynamics

KAUST Repository

Li, Yuan

2018-04-13

The interaction between a converging cylindrical shock and double density interfaces in the presence of a saddle magnetic field is numerically investigated within the framework of ideal magnetohydrodynamics. Three fluids of differing densities are initially separated by the two perturbed cylindrical interfaces. The initial incident converging shock is generated from a Riemann problem upstream of the first interface. The effect of the magnetic field on the instabilities is studied through varying the field strength. It shows that the Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities are mitigated by the field, however, the extent of the suppression varies on the interface which leads to non-axisymmetric growth of the perturbations. The degree of asymmetry of the interfacial growth rate is increased when the seed field strength is increased.

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability of a double-layer interface in convergent geometry with magnetohydrodynamics

KAUST Repository

Li, Yuan; Samtaney, Ravi; Wheatley, Vincent

2018-01-01

The interaction between a converging cylindrical shock and double density interfaces in the presence of a saddle magnetic field is numerically investigated within the framework of ideal magnetohydrodynamics. Three fluids of differing densities are initially separated by the two perturbed cylindrical interfaces. The initial incident converging shock is generated from a Riemann problem upstream of the first interface. The effect of the magnetic field on the instabilities is studied through varying the field strength. It shows that the Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities are mitigated by the field, however, the extent of the suppression varies on the interface which leads to non-axisymmetric growth of the perturbations. The degree of asymmetry of the interfacial growth rate is increased when the seed field strength is increased.

Theory of wire number scaling in wire-array Z pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desjarlais, M.P.; Marder, B.M.

1999-01-01

Pulsed-power-driven Z pinches, produced by imploding cylindrical arrays of many wires, have generated very high x-ray radiation powers (>200 TW) and energies (2 MJ). Experiments have revealed a steady improvement in Z-pinch performance with increasing wire number at fixed total mass and array radius. The dominant mechanism acting to limit the performance of these devices is believed to be the Rayleigh-Taylor instability which broadens the radially imploding plasma sheath and consequently reduces the peak radiation power. A model is presented which describes an amplification over the two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate brought about by kink-like forces on the individual wires. This amplification factor goes to zero as the number of wires approaches infinity. This model gives results which are in good agreement with the experimental data and provides a scaling for wire-array Z pinches. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Multimode modelling of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Town, R.P.J.; Findlay, J.D.; Bell, A.R.

1996-01-01

This paper presents a comparison of Haan's mode coupling model with two-dimensional hydrocode simulations. In the light of these results, a new saturation criterion is developed that is used in a new, extended mode coupling model. The new extended model accurately follows the mode development to amplitudes 2 to 3 times larger than Haan's model. (Author)

Surface-Energy-Anisotropy-Induced Orientation Effects on RayleighInstabilities in Sapphire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santala, Melissa; Glaeser, Andreas M.

2006-01-01

Arrays of controlled-geometry, semi-infinite pore channels of systematically varied crystallographic orientation were introduced into undoped m-plane (10{bar 1}0) sapphire substrates using microfabrication techniques and ion-beam etching and subsequently internalized by solid-state diffusion bonding. A series of anneals at 1700 C caused the breakup of these channels into discrete pores via Rayleigh instabilities. In all cases, channels broke up with a characteristic wavelength larger than that expected for a material with isotropic surface energy, reflecting stabilization effects due to surface-energy anisotropy. The breakup wavelength and the time required for complete breakup varied significantly with channel orientation. For most orientations, the instability wavelength for channels of radius R was in the range of 13.2R-25R, and complete breakup occurred within 2-10 h. To first order, the anneal times for complete breakup scale with the square of the breakup wavelength. Channels oriented along a <11{bar 2}0> direction had a wavelength of {approx} 139R, and required 468 h for complete breakup. Cross-sectional analysis of channels oriented along a <11{bar 2}0> direction showed the channel to be completely bounded by stable c(0001), r{l_brace}{bar 1}012{r_brace}, and s{l_brace}10{bar 1}1{r_brace} facets.

Dynamical instabilities in magnetohydrodynamic wind-cloud interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Banda-Barragan, Wladimir Eduardo; Parkin, Elliot Ross; Crocker, Roland M.; Federrath, Christoph; Bicknell, Geoffrey Vincent

2015-08-01

We report the results from a comprehensive numerical study that investigates the role of dynamical instabilities in magnetohydrodynamic interactions between winds and spherical clouds in the interstellar medium. The growth of Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities at interfaces between wind and cloud material is responsible for the disruption of clouds and the formation of filamentary tails. We show how different strengths and orientations of the initial magnetic field affect the development of unstable modes and the ultimate morphology of these filaments. In the weak field limit, for example, KH instabilities developing at the flanks of clouds are dominant, whilst they are suppressed when stronger fields are considered. On the other hand, perturbations that originate RT instabilities at the leading edge of clouds are enhanced when fields are locally stronger. The orientation of the field lines also plays an important role in the structure of filaments. Magnetic ropes are key features of systems in which fields are aligned with the wind velocity, whilst current sheets are favoured when the initial field is preferentially transverse to the wind velocity. We compare our findings with analytical predictions obtained from the linear theory of hydromagnetic stability and provide a classification of filamentary tails based on their morphology.

Analysis of plasma behavior in a magnetic nozzle of laser fusion rocket

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagamine, Yoshihiko; Yoshimi, Naofumi; Nakama, Yuji; Muranaka, Takanobu; Mayumi, Takao; Nakashima, Hideki

1997-01-01

A magnetic nozzle concept in a laser fusion rocket is suitable for controlling the fusion plasma flow and it has an advantage that thermalization with wall structures in a thrust chamber can be avoided. Rayleigh-Taylor instability would occur at the surface of expanding plasma and it would lead to the degradation of thrust efficiency, due to diffusion of the plasma through ambient decelerating magnetic field. A 3D hybrid particle-in-cell code has been developed to analyze the plasma instability in the magnetic nozzle. The resultant linear growth rate γ of the instability is found to be 2.96 x 10 6 and it is in good agreement with the theoretical value from conventional Rayleigh Taylor instability. (author)

Theoretical and simulation research of hydrodynamic instabilities in inertial-confinement fusion implosions

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, LiFeng; Ye, WenHua; He, XianTu; Wu, JunFeng; Fan, ZhengFeng; Xue, Chuang; Guo, HongYu; Miao, WenYong; Yuan, YongTeng; Dong, JiaQin; Jia, Guo; Zhang, Jing; Li, YingJun; Liu, Jie; Wang, Min; Ding, YongKun; Zhang, WeiYan

2017-05-01

Inertial fusion energy (IFE) has been considered a promising, nearly inexhaustible source of sustainable carbon-free power for the world's energy future. It has long been recognized that the control of hydrodynamic instabilities is of critical importance for ignition and high-gain in the inertial-confinement fusion (ICF) hot-spot ignition scheme. In this mini-review, we summarize the progress of theoretical and simulation research of hydrodynamic instabilities in the ICF central hot-spot implosion in our group over the past decade. In order to obtain sufficient understanding of the growth of hydrodynamic instabilities in ICF, we first decompose the problem into different stages according to the implosion physics processes. The decomposed essential physics pro- cesses that are associated with ICF implosions, such as Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI), Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI), Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI), convergent geometry effects, as well as perturbation feed-through are reviewed. Analyti- cal models in planar, cylindrical, and spherical geometries have been established to study different physical aspects, including density-gradient, interface-coupling, geometry, and convergent effects. The influence of ablation in the presence of preheating on the RTI has been extensively studied by numerical simulations. The KHI considering the ablation effect has been discussed in detail for the first time. A series of single-mode ablative RTI experiments has been performed on the Shenguang-II laser facility. The theoretical and simulation research provides us the physical insights of linear and weakly nonlinear growths, and nonlinear evolutions of the hydrodynamic instabilities in ICF implosions, which has directly supported the research of ICF ignition target design. The ICF hot-spot ignition implosion design that uses several controlling features, based on our current understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities, to address shell implosion stability, has

Development of two mix model postprocessors for the investigation of shell mix in indirect drive implosion cores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welser-Sherrill, L.; Mancini, R. C.; Haynes, D. A.; Haan, S. W.; Koch, J. A.; Izumi, N.; Tommasini, R.; Golovkin, I. E.; MacFarlane, J. J.; Radha, P. B.; Delettrez, J. A.; Regan, S. P.; Smalyuk, V. A.

2007-01-01

The presence of shell mix in inertial confinement fusion implosion cores is an important characteristic. Mixing in this experimental regime is primarily due to hydrodynamic instabilities, such as Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov, which can affect implosion dynamics. Two independent theoretical mix models, Youngs' model and the Haan saturation model, were used to estimate the level of Rayleigh-Taylor mixing in a series of indirect drive experiments. The models were used to predict the radial width of the region containing mixed fuel and shell materials. The results for Rayleigh-Taylor mixing provided by Youngs' model are considered to be a lower bound for the mix width, while those generated by Haan's model incorporate more experimental characteristics and consequently have larger mix widths. These results are compared with an independent experimental analysis, which infers a larger mix width based on all instabilities and effects captured in the experimental data

Measurements of laser-imprinted perturbations and Rayleigh--Taylor growth with the Nike KrF laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pawley, C.J.; Gerber, K.; Lehmberg, R.H.; McLean, E.A.; Mostovych, A.N.; Obenschain, S.P.; Sethian, J.D.; Serlin, V.; Stamper, J.A.; Sullivan, C.A.; Bodner, S.E.; Colombant, D.; Dahlburg, J.P.; Schmitt, A.J.; Gardner, J.H.; Brown, C.; Seely, J.F.; Lehecka, T.; Aglitskiy, Y.; Deniz, A.V.; Chan, Y.; Metzler, N.; Klapisch, M.

1997-01-01

Nike is a 56 beam Krypton Fluoride (KrF) laser system using Induced Spatial Incoherence (ISI) beam smoothing with a measured focal nonuniformity left-angle ΔI/I right-angle of 1% rms in a single beam [S. Obenschain et al., Phys. Plasmas 3, 1996 (2098)]. When 37 of these beams are overlapped on the target, we estimate that the beam nonuniformity is reduced by √(37), to (ΔI/I)congruent 0.15% (excluding short-wavelength beam-to-beam interference). The extraordinary uniformity of the laser drive, along with a newly developed x-ray framing diagnostic, has provided a unique facility for the accurate measurements of Rayleigh--Taylor amplified laser-imprinted mass perturbations under conditions relevant to direct-drive laser fusion. Data from targets with smooth surfaces as well as those with impressed sine wave perturbations agree with our two-dimensional (2-D) radiation hydrodynamics code that includes the time-dependent ISI beam modulations. A 2-D simulation of a target with a 100 Angstrom rms randomly rough surface finish driven by a completely uniform beam gives final perturbation amplitudes similar to the experimental data for the smoothest laser profile. These results are promising for direct-drive laser fusion

Cylindrical implosion to measure the radiative properties of high density and temperature plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Yan; Rose, S.J.

2000-01-01

Cylindrical implosion is of great interest because of its excellent diagnostic access. The authors present one-dimensional numerical simulations to explore the plasma conditions that may be achieved. Combined with the numerical data, the development of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in those targets are estimated. The authors found that it is possible to achieve a high density and temperature plasma with a relatively low temperature and density gradient using a cylindrical implosion directly-driven by a high-power laser

The application of front tracking to the simulation of shock refractions and shock accelerated interface mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharp, D.H.; Grove, J.W.; Yang, Y.; Boston, B.; Holmes, R.; Zhang, Q.; Glimm, J.

1993-01-01

The mixing behavior of two or more fluids plays an important role in a number of physical processes and technological applications. The authors consider two basic types of mechanical (i.e., non-diffusive) fluid mixing. If a heavy fluid is suspended above a lighter fluid in the presence of a gravitational field, small perturbations at the fluid interface will grow. This process is known as the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. One can visualize this instability in terms of bubbles of the light fluid rising into the heavy fluid, and fingers (spikes) of the heavy fluid falling into the light fluid. A similar process, called the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability occurs when an interface is accelerated by a shock wave. These instabilities have several common features. Indeed, Richtmyer's approach to understanding the shock induced instability was to view that process as resulting from an acceleration of the two fluids by a strong gravitational field acting for a short time. Here, the authors report new results on the Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities. Highlights include calculations of Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in curved geometries without grid orientation effects, improved agreement between computations and experiments in the case of Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities at a plane interface, and a demonstration of an increase in the Rayleigh-Taylor mixing layer growth rate with increasing compressibility, along with a loss of universality of this growth rate. The principal computational tool used in obtaining these results was a code based on the front tracking method

Linear Analysis of Converging Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability in the Presence of an Azimuthal Magnetic Field

KAUST Repository

Bakhsh, Abeer; Samtaney, Ravindra

2017-01-01

We investigate the linear stability of both positive and negative Atwood ratio interfaces accelerated either by a fast magnetosonic or hydrodynamic shock in cylindrical geometry. For the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) case, we examine the role of an initial seed azimuthal magnetic field on the growth rate of the perturbation. In the absence of a magnetic field, the Richtmyer-Meshkov growth is followed by an exponentially increasing growth associated with the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. In the MHD case, the growth rate of the instability reduces in proportion to the strength of the applied magnetic field. The suppression mechanism is associated with the interference of two waves running parallel and anti-parallel to the interface that transport of vorticity and cause the growth rate to oscillate in time with nearly a zero mean value.

Linear Analysis of Converging Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability in the Presence of an Azimuthal Magnetic Field

KAUST Repository

Bakhsh, Abeer

2017-11-17

We investigate the linear stability of both positive and negative Atwood ratio interfaces accelerated either by a fast magnetosonic or hydrodynamic shock in cylindrical geometry. For the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) case, we examine the role of an initial seed azimuthal magnetic field on the growth rate of the perturbation. In the absence of a magnetic field, the Richtmyer-Meshkov growth is followed by an exponentially increasing growth associated with the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. In the MHD case, the growth rate of the instability reduces in proportion to the strength of the applied magnetic field. The suppression mechanism is associated with the interference of two waves running parallel and anti-parallel to the interface that transport of vorticity and cause the growth rate to oscillate in time with nearly a zero mean value.

Hydrodynamic instabilities in astrophysics and ICF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul Drake, R.

2005-01-01

Inertial fusion systems and astrophysical systems both involve hydrodynamic effects, including sources of pressure, shock waves, rarefactions, and plasma flows. In the evolution of such systems, hydrodynamic instabilities naturally evolve. As a result, a fundamental understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities is necessary to understand their behavior. In addition, high-energy-density facilities designed for ICF purposes can be used to provide and experimental basis for understanding astrophysical processes. In this talk. I will discuss the instabilities that appear in astrophysics and ICF from the common perspective of the basic mechanisms at work. Examples will be taken from experiments aimed at ICF, from astrophysical systems, and from experiments using ICF systems to address issues in astrophysics. The high-energy-density research facilities of today can accelerate small but macroscopic amounts of material to velocities above 100 km/s, can heat such material to temperature above 100 eV, can produce pressures far above a million atmospheres (10''12 dybes/cm''2 or 0.1 TPascal), and can do experiments under these conditions that address basic physics issues. This enables on to devise experiments aimed directly at important process such as the Rayleigh Taylor instability at an ablating surface or at an embedded interface that is accelerating, the Richtmeyer Meshkov evolution of shocked interfaces, and the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of shear flows. The talk will include examples of such phenomena from the laboratory and from astrophysics, and will discuss experiments to study them. (Author)

Linear simulations of the cylindrical Richtmyer-Meshkov instability in magnetohydrodynamics

KAUST Repository

Bakhsh, Abeer

2016-03-09

Numerical simulations and analysis indicate that the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability(RMI) is suppressed in ideal magnetohydrodynamics(MHD) in Cartesian slab geometry. Motivated by the presence of hydrodynamic instabilities in inertial confinement fusion and suppression by means of a magnetic field, we investigate the RMI via linear MHD simulations in cylindrical geometry. The physical setup is that of a Chisnell-type converging shock interacting with a density interface with either axial or azimuthal (2D) perturbations. The linear stability is examined in the context of an initial value problem (with a time-varying base state) wherein the linearized ideal MHD equations are solved with an upwind numerical method. Linear simulations in the absence of a magnetic field indicate that RMI growth rate during the early time period is similar to that observed in Cartesian geometry. However, this RMI phase is short-lived and followed by a Rayleigh-Taylor instability phase with an accompanied exponential increase in the perturbation amplitude. We examine several strengths of the magnetic field (characterized by β=2p/B^2_r) and observe a significant suppression of the instability for β ≤ 4. The suppression of the instability is attributed to the transport of vorticity away from the interface by Alfvén fronts.

Spatiotemporal chaos in the dynamics of buoyantly and diffusively unstable chemical fronts

Science.gov (United States)

Baroni, M. P. M. A.; Guéron, E.; De Wit, A.

2012-03-01

Nonlinear dynamics resulting from the interplay between diffusive and buoyancy-driven Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities of autocatalytic traveling fronts are analyzed numerically for various values of the relevant parameters. These are the Rayleigh numbers of the reactant A and autocatalytic product B solutions as well as the ratio D =DB/DA between the diffusion coefficients of the two key chemical species. The interplay between the coarsening dynamics characteristic of the RT instability and the constant short wavelength modulation of the diffusive instability can lead in some regimes to complex dynamics dominated by irregular succession of birth and death of fingers. By using spectral entropy measurements, we characterize the transition between order and spatial disorder in this system. The analysis of the power spectrum and autocorrelation function, moreover, identifies similarities between the various spatial patterns. The contribution of the diffusive instability to the complex dynamics is discussed.

Nonlinear vortex structures and Rayleigh instability condition in shear flow plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haque, Q.; Saleem, H.; Mirza, A.M.

2009-01-01

Full text: It is shown that the shear flow produced by externally applied electric field can unstable the drift waves. Due to shear flow, the Rayleigh instability condition is modified, which is obtained for both electron-ion and electron-positron-ion plasmas. These shear flow driven drift waves can be responsible for large amplitude electrostatic fluctuations in tokamak edges. In the nonlinear regime, the stationary structures may appear in electron-positron-ion plasmas similar to electron-ion plasmas. The nonlinear vortex structures like counter rotating dipole vortices and vortex chains can be formed with the aid of special type of shear flows. The positrons can be used as a probe in laboratory plasmas, which make it a multi-component plasma. The presence of positrons in electron-ion plasma system can affect the speed and amplitude of the nonlinear vortex structures. This investigation can have application in both laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. (author)

Detailed Measurements of Rayleigh-Taylor Mixing at Large and Small Atwood Numbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malcolm, J.; Andrews, Ph.D.

2004-01-01

This project has two major tasks: Task 1. The construction of a new air/helium facility to collect detailed measurements of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing at high Atwood number, and the distribution of these data to LLNL, LANL, and Alliance members for code validation and design purposes. Task 2. The collection of initial condition data from the new Air/Helium facility, for use with validation of RT simulation codes at LLNL and LANL. Also, studies of multi-layer mixing with the existing water channel facility. Over the last twelve (12) months there has been excellent progress, detailed in this report, with both tasks. As of December 10, 2004, the air/helium facility is now complete and extensive testing and validation of diagnostics has been performed. Currently experiments with air/helium up to Atwood numbers of 0.25 (the maximum is 0.75, but the highest Reynolds numbers are at 0.25) are being performed. The progress matches the project plan, as does the budget, and we expect this to continue for 2005. With interest expressed from LLNL we have continued with initial condition studies using the water channel. This work has also progressed well, with one of the graduate Research Assistants (Mr. Nick Mueschke) visiting LLNL the past two summers to work with Dr. O. Schilling. Several journal papers are in preparation that describe the work. Two MSc.'s have been completed (Mr. Nick Mueschke, and Mr. Wayne Kraft, 12/1/03). Nick and Wayne are both pursuing Ph.D.s' funded by this DOE Alliances project. Presently three (3) Ph.D. graduate Research Assistants are supported on the project, and two (2) undergraduate Research Assistants. During the year two (2) journal papers and two (2) conference papers have been published, ten (10) presentations made at conferences, and three (3) invited presentations

Hydrodynamic instability experiments on the Nova laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remington, B.A.; Glendinning, S.G.; Kalantar, D.H.

1996-08-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities in compressible plasmas play a critical role in the fields of inertial confinement fusion (ICF), astrophysics, and high energy-density physics. We are, investigating hydrodynamic instabilities such as the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability, at high compression at the Nova laser in a series of experiments, both in planar and in spherical geometry. In the indirect drive approach, a thermal x-ray drive is generated by focusing the Nova laser beams into a Au cylindrical radiation cavity (hohlraum). Issues in the instability evolution that we are examining are shock propagation and foil compression, RT growth of 2D versus 3D single-mode perturbations, drive pulse shape, perturbation location at the ablation front versus at an embedded interface, and multimode perturbation growth and nonlinear saturation. The effects of convergence on RT growth are being investigated both with hemispherical implosions of packages mounted on the hohlraum wall and with spherical implosions of capsules at the center of the hohlraum. Single-mode perturbations are pre-imposed at the ablation front of these capsules as a seed for the RT growth. In our direct drive experiments, we are investigating the effect of laser imprinting and subsequent RT growth on planar foils, both at λ Laser = 1/3 μm and 1/2 μm. An overview is given describing recent progress in each of these areas

Rayleigh convective instability in the presence of phase transitions of water vapor. The formation of large-scale eddies and cloud structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shmerlin, Boris Ya; Kalashnik, Maksim V

2013-01-01

Convective motions in moist saturated air are accompanied by the release of latent heat of condensation. Taking this effect into account, we consider the problem of convective instability of a moist saturated air layer, generalizing the formulation of the classical Rayleigh problem. An analytic solution demonstrating the fundamental difference between moist convection and Rayleigh convection is obtained. Upon losing stability in the two-dimensional case, localized convective rolls or spatially periodic chains of rollers with localized areas of upward motion evolve. In the case of axial symmetry, the growth of localized convective vortices with circulation characteristic of tropical cyclones (hurricanes) is possible at the early stages of development and on the scale of tornados to tropical cyclones. (methodological notes)

Initial conditions for turbulent mixing simulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Kaman

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the context of the classical Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamical instability, we examine the much debated question of models for initial conditions and the possible influence of unrecorded long wave length contributions to the instability growth rate α.

Asymptotic behavior of the mixed mass in Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov instability induced flows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Ye; Cabot, William H. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Thornber, Ben [The University of Sydney, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, New South Wales 2006, Sydney (Australia)

2016-05-15

Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI) and Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) are serious practical issues in inertial confinement fusion research, and also have relevance to many cases of astrophysical fluid dynamics. So far, much of the attention has been paid to the late-time scaling of the mixed width, which is used as a surrogate to how well the fluids have been mixed. Yet, the actual amount of mixed mass could be viewed as a more direct indicator on the evolution of the mixing layers due to hydrodynamic instabilities. Despite its importance, there is no systematic study as yet on the scaling of the mixed mass for either the RTI or the RMI induced flow. In this article, the normalized mixed mass (Ψ) is introduced for measuring the efficiency of the mixed mass. Six large numerical simulation databases have been employed: the RTI cases with heavy-to-light fluid density ratios of 1.5, 3, and 9; the single shock RMI cases with density ratios of 3 and 20; and a reshock RMI case with density ratio of 3. Using simulated flow fields, the normalized mixed mass Ψ is shown to be more sensitive in discriminating the variation with Atwood number for the RTI flows. Moreover, Ψ is demonstrated to provide more consistent results for both the RTI and RMI flows when compared with the traditional mixedness parameters, Ξ and Θ.

The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in National Ignition Facility hohlraums as a source of gold-gas mixing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vandenboomgaerde, M.; Bonnefille, M.; Gauthier, P. [CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France)

2016-05-15

Highly resolved radiation-hydrodynamics FCI2 simulations have been performed to model laser experiments on the National Ignition Facility. In these experiments, cylindrical gas-filled hohlraums with gold walls are driven by a 20 ns laser pulse. For the first time, simulations show the appearance of Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) vortices at the interface between the expanding wall material and the gas fill. In this paper, we determine the mechanisms which generate this instability: the increase of the gas pressure around the expanding gold plasma leads to the aggregation of an over-dense gold layer simultaneously with shear flows. At the surface of this layer, all the conditions are met for a KH instability to grow. Later on, as the interface decelerates, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability also comes into play. A potential scenario for the generation of a mixing zone at the gold-gas interface due to the KH instability is presented. Our estimates of the Reynolds number and the plasma diffusion width at the interface support the possibility of such a mix. The key role of the first nanosecond of the laser pulse in the instability occurrence is also underlined.

Coulomb Fission in Multiply-Charged Ammonia Clusters: Accurate Measurements of the Rayleigh Instability Limit from Fragmentation Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Christopher; Stace, Anthony J

2018-03-15

A series of experiments have been undertaken on the fragmentation of multiply charged ammonia clusters, (NH 3 ) n z+ , where z ≤ 8 and n ≤ 850, to establish Rayleigh instability limits, whereby clusters at certain critical sizes become unstable due to Coulomb repulsion between the resident charges. Experimental results on size-selected clusters are found to be in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions of Rayleigh instability limits at all values of the charge. Electrostatic theory has been used to help identify fragmentation patterns on the assumption that the clusters separate into two dielectric spheres, and the predicted Coulomb repulsion energies used to establish pathways and the sizes of cluster fragments. The results show that fragmentation is very asymmetric in terms of both the numbers of molecules involved and the amount of charge each fragment accommodates. For clusters carrying a charge ≤+4, the results show that fragmentation proceeds via the loss of small, singly charged clusters. When clusters carry a charge of +5 or more, the experimental observations suggest a marked switch in behavior. Although the laboratory measurements equate to fragmentation via the loss of a large dication cluster, electrostatic theory supports an interpretation that involves the sequential loss of two smaller, singly charged clusters possibly accompanied by the extensive evaporation of neutral molecules. It is suggested that this change in fragmentation pattern is driven by the channelling of Coulomb repulsion energy into intermolecular modes within these larger clusters. Overall, the results appear to support the ion evaporation model that is frequently used to interpret electrospray experiments.

Simulation experiment of laser implosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakagami, Yukio; Kano, Takahide

1980-01-01

This paper is concerned with experimental studies on instabilities associated with implosion shock waves. Double cylindrical implosion shock tube is used. Instabilities of mode number l asymptotically equals 12 are observed in spite of initial perturbation of l asymptotically equals 100. This phenomenon is explained by Rayleigh-Taylor Instability. (author)

A spherical Taylor-Couette dynamo

Science.gov (United States)

Marcotte, Florence; Gissinger, Christophe

2016-04-01

We present a new scenario for magnetic field amplification in the planetary interiors where an electrically conducting fluid is confined in a differentially rotating, spherical shell (spherical Couette flow) with thin aspect-ratio. When the angular momentum sufficiently decreases outwards, a primary hydrodynamic instability is widely known to develop in the equatorial region, characterized by pairs of counter-rotating, axisymmetric toroidal vortices (Taylor vortices) similar to those observed in cylindrical Couette flow. We characterize the subcritical dynamo bifurcation due to this spherical Taylor-Couette flow and study its evolution as the flow successively breaks into wavy and turbulent Taylor vortices for increasing Reynolds number. We show that the critical magnetic Reynolds number seems to reach a constant value as the Reynolds number is gradually increased. The role of global rotation on the dynamo threshold and the implications for planetary interiors are finally discussed.

Role of hydrodynamic instability growth in hot-spot mass gain and fusion performance of inertial confinement fusion implosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivasan, Bhuvana; Tang, Xian-Zhu

2014-01-01

In an inertial confinement fusion target, energy loss due to thermal conduction from the hot-spot will inevitably ablate fuel ice into the hot-spot, resulting in a more massive but cooler hot-spot, which negatively impacts fusion yield. Hydrodynamic mix due to Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the gas-ice interface can aggravate the problem via an increased gas-ice interfacial area across which energy transfer from the hot-spot and ice can be enhanced. Here, this mix-enhanced transport effect on hot-spot fusion-performance degradation is quantified using contrasting 1D and 2D hydrodynamic simulations, and its dependence on effective acceleration, Atwood number, and ablation speed is identified

Equatorial spread F: a review of recent experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelley, M.C.

1979-01-01

In this paper the authors review an intense research effort aimed at understanding the large scale disruption of the equatorial F layer which often commences just after sunset, and lasts for most of the night. A very attractive explanation for the phenomena, although one not universally accepted, is that the F layer is unstable to the classic Rayleigh-Taylor condition in which a heavy fluid, the plasma, is supported against gravity by a light 'fluid', the Earth's magnetic field. It is concluded that a reasonable case has been made for this explanation provided that the concept is extended to include nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor like buoyancy effects above the F peak where linear process is stable. Internal gravity waves in neutral atmosphere seem to play an important role in seeding the Rayleigh-Taylor process with large scale finite amplitude perturbations. One of the remarkable features of this phenomena is the nearly simultaneous generation of structure with scale sizes spanning five orders of magnitude. These results may have applications in astrophysical processes where the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is thought to play a role. (Auth.)

Log-Likelihood Ratio Calculation for Iterative Decoding on Rayleigh Fading Channels Using Padé Approximation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gou Hosoya

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Approximate calculation of channel log-likelihood ratio (LLR for wireless channels using Padé approximation is presented. LLR is used as an input of iterative decoding for powerful error-correcting codes such as low-density parity-check (LDPC codes or turbo codes. Due to the lack of knowledge of the channel state information of a wireless fading channel, such as uncorrelated fiat Rayleigh fading channels, calculations of exact LLR for these channels are quite complicated for a practical implementation. The previous work, an LLR calculation using the Taylor approximation, quickly becomes inaccurate as the channel output leaves some derivative point. This becomes a big problem when higher order modulation scheme is employed. To overcome this problem, a new LLR approximation using Padé approximation, which expresses the original function by a rational form of two polynomials with the same total number of coefficients of the Taylor series and can accelerate the Taylor approximation, is devised. By applying the proposed approximation to the iterative decoding and the LDPC codes with some modulation schemes, we show the effectiveness of the proposed methods by simulation results and analysis based on the density evolution.

Analytic approach to nonlinear hydrodynamic instabilities driven by time-dependent accelerations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikaelian, K O

2009-09-28

We extend our earlier model for Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities to the more general class of hydrodynamic instabilities driven by a time-dependent acceleration g(t) . Explicit analytic solutions for linear as well as nonlinear amplitudes are obtained for several g(t)'s by solving a Schroedinger-like equation d{sup 2}{eta}/dt{sup 2} - g(t)kA{eta} = 0 where A is the Atwood number and k is the wavenumber of the perturbation amplitude {eta}(t). In our model a simple transformation k {yields} k{sub L} and A {yields} A{sub L} connects the linear to the nonlinear amplitudes: {eta}{sup nonlinear} (k,A) {approx} (1/k{sub L})ln{eta}{sup linear} (k{sub L}, A{sub L}). The model is found to be in very good agreement with direct numerical simulations. Bubble amplitudes for a variety of accelerations are seen to scale with s defined by s = {integral} {radical}g(t)dt, while spike amplitudes prefer scaling with displacement {Delta}x = {integral}[{integral}g(t)dt]dt.

Sudden contact of a hot liquid with a volatile coolant: instability of the created vapour film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pion, Agnes

1983-01-01

As the sudden contact of a hot body with a coolant which may evaporate, results, after some delay, in an explosive evaporation, this research thesis proposes an interpretation based on the study of the destabilization of the vapour film which forms at the surface of the hot body. The author reports the modelling of the evolution of the average thickness of the film before the explosion. The possible chemical reactions at the surface of the hot body are taken into account. A base flow is obtained which allows the calculation of the evolution of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities which may occur at the gas-coolant interface. This study is applied to the interaction between liquid sodium and water [fr

Simulation of the Initial 3-D Instability of an Impacting Drop Vortex Ring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sigurdson, Lorenz; Wiwchar, Justin; Walther, Jens Honore

2013-01-01

, a Rayleigh centrifugal instability, or a vortex breakdown-type instability. Simulations which simply have a perturbed solitary ring result in an instability similar to that seen experimentally. Waviness of the core which would be expected from a Widnall instability is not visible. Adding an opposite......-signed secondary vortex ring or an image vortex ring to the initial conditions, to trigger a Rayleigh or breakdown respectively, does not appear to significantly change the instability from what is seen with a solitary ring. This suggests that a Rayleigh or vortex breakdown-type instability are not likely at work......Computational vortex particle method simulations of a perturbed vortex ring are performed to recreate and understand the instability seen in impacting water drop experiments. Three fundamentally different initial vorticity distributions are used to attempt to trigger a Widnall instability...

Effect on Non-Newtonian Rheology on Mixing in Taylor-Couette Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Cagney, Neil; Balabani, Stavroula

2017-11-01

Mixing processes within many industry applications are strongly affected by the rheology of the working fluid. This is particularly relevant for pharmaceutical, food and waste treatment industries, where the working fluids are often strongly non-Newtonian, and significant variations in rheology between batches may occur. We approach the question of how rheology affects mixing by focussing on a the classical case of Taylor-Couette flow, which exhibits a number of instabilities and flow regimes as a function of Reynolds number. We examine Taylor-Couette flow generated for a range of aqueous solutions of xantham gum or corn starch, such that the rheology varies from shear-thinning to shear-thickening. For each case, we measure the power consumption using a torque meter and the flow field using high speed, time-resolved Particle-Image Velocimetry. The mixing characteristics are quantified using a number of Lagrangian and Eulerian approaches, including the coarse grained density method and vortex strength. By comparing these metrics to the power number, we discuss how the mixing efficiency (ratio of mixing effectiveness to power input) varies with the flow index of the fluid.

Direct-drive laser-fusion in the US

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCrory, R.L.; Soures, J.M.; Audebert, P.

1986-01-01

Direct-drive experiments at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) are presently addressing issues in pellet compression and heating: efficiency of coupling of laser energy to the target and the coupling of absorbed energy to the fuel, drive uniformity, hydrodynamic stability, preheat arising from laser plasma instabilities and x-rays, and target diagnostics. The 24-beam, 2500-Joule, 351 nm OMEGA laser system at LLE has been used in an experimental effort to achieve high compressed DT fuel densities. Detailed hydrodynamic computer simulations at NRL predict that the growth rate of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability is less than the classical values. Recent Rayleigh-Taylor experiments ar NRL are testing these predictions

Parametric modulation in the Taylor-Couette ferrofluid flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Jitender; Bajaj, Renu

2008-01-01

A parametric instability of the Taylor-Couette ferrofluid flow excited by a periodically oscillating magnetic field, has been investigated numerically. The Floquet analysis has been employed. It has been found that the modulation of the applied magnetic field affects the stability of the basic flow. The instability response has been found to be synchronous with respect to the frequency of periodically oscillating magnetic field.

Wire array Z-pinch insights for enhanced x-ray production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanford, T.W.; Mock, R.C.; Spielman, R.B. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1196 (United States); Haines, M.G.; Chittenden, J.P. [The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London, SW7 2BZ (United Kingdom); Whitney, K.G.; Apruzese, J.P. [Naval Research Laboratory, Radiation Hydrodynamics Branch, Washington, D.C. 20375 (United States); Peterson, D.L. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Greenly, J.B.; Sinars, D.B. [Laboratory of Plasma Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States); Reisman, D.B. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Mosher, D. [Naval Research Laboratory, Pulsed Power Physics Branch, Washington, D.C. 20375 (United States)

1999-05-01

Comparisons of measured total radiated x-ray power from annular wire-array {ital z}-pinches with a variety of models as a function of wire number, array mass, and load radius are reviewed. The data, which are comprehensive, have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics that are critical for high x-ray power generation. Collectively, the comparisons of the data with the model calculations suggest that a number of underlying dynamical mechanisms involving cylindrical asymmetries and plasma instabilities contribute to the measured characteristics. For example, under the general assumption that the measured risetime of the total-radiated-power pulse is related to the thickness of the plasma shell formed on axis, the Heuristic Model [IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. {bold 26}, 1275 (1998)] agrees with the measured risetime under a number of specific assumptions about the way the breakdown of the wires, the wire-plasma expansion, and the Rayleigh{endash}Taylor instability in the r{endash}z plane, develop. Likewise, in the high wire-number regime (where the wires are calculated to form a plasma shell prior to significant radial motion of the shell) the comparisons show that the variation in the power of the radiation generated as a function of load mass and array radius can be simulated by the two-dimensional Eulerian-radiation- magnetohydrodynamics code (E-RMHC) [Phys. Plasmas {bold 3}, 368 (1996)], using a single random-density perturbation that seeds the Rayleigh{endash}Taylor instability in the r{endash}z plane. For a given pulse-power generator, the comparisons suggest that (1) the smallest interwire gaps compatible with practical load construction and (2) the minimum implosion time consistent with the optimum required energy coupling of the generator to the load should produce the highest total-radiated-power levels. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

Wire array Z-pinch insights for enhanced x-ray production

Science.gov (United States)

Sanford, T. W. L.; Mock, R. C.; Spielman, R. B.; Haines, M. G.; Chittenden, J. P.; Whitney, K. G.; Apruzese, J. P.; Peterson, D. L.; Greenly, J. B.; Sinars, D. B.; Reisman, D. B.; Mosher, D.

1999-05-01

Comparisons of measured total radiated x-ray power from annular wire-array z-pinches with a variety of models as a function of wire number, array mass, and load radius are reviewed. The data, which are comprehensive, have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics that are critical for high x-ray power generation. Collectively, the comparisons of the data with the model calculations suggest that a number of underlying dynamical mechanisms involving cylindrical asymmetries and plasma instabilities contribute to the measured characteristics. For example, under the general assumption that the measured risetime of the total-radiated-power pulse is related to the thickness of the plasma shell formed on axis, the Heuristic Model [IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 26, 1275 (1998)] agrees with the measured risetime under a number of specific assumptions about the way the breakdown of the wires, the wire-plasma expansion, and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the r-z plane, develop. Likewise, in the high wire-number regime (where the wires are calculated to form a plasma shell prior to significant radial motion of the shell) the comparisons show that the variation in the power of the radiation generated as a function of load mass and array radius can be simulated by the two-dimensional Eulerian-radiation- magnetohydrodynamics code (E-RMHC) [Phys. Plasmas 3, 368 (1996)], using a single random-density perturbation that seeds the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the r-z plane. For a given pulse-power generator, the comparisons suggest that (1) the smallest interwire gaps compatible with practical load construction and (2) the minimum implosion time consistent with the optimum required energy coupling of the generator to the load should produce the highest total-radiated-power levels.

Wire Array Z-Pinch Insights for Enhanced X-Ray Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Apruzese, J.P.; Chittenden, J.P.; Greenly, J.B.; Haines, M.G.; Mock, R.C.; Mosher, D.; Peterson, D.L.; Reisman, D.B.; Sanford, T.W.L.; Sinars, D.B.; Spielman, R.B.; Whitnery, K.G.

1999-01-04

Comparisons of measured total radiated x-ray power from annular wire-array z-pinches with a variety of models as a function of wire number, array mass, and load radius are reviewed. The data, which are comprehensive, have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics that are critical for high x-ray power generation. Collectively, the comparisons of the data with the model calculations suggest that a number of underlying dynamical mechanisms involving cylindrical asymmetries and plasma instabilities contribute to the measured characteristics. For example, under the general assumption that the measured risetime of the total-radiated-power pulse is related to the thickness of the plasma shell formed on axis, the Heuristic Model [IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., 26, 1275 (1998)] agrees with the measured risetime under a number of specific assumptions about the way the breakdown of the wires, the wire-plasma expansion, and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the r-z plane, interact. Likewise, in the high wire-number regime (where the wires are calculated to form a plasma shell prior to significant radial motion of the shell) the comparisons show that the variation in the power of the radiation generated as a function of load mass and array radius can be simulated by the 2-D Eulerian-radiation-magnetohydrodynamics code (E-RMHC) [Phys. Plasmas 3, 368 (1996)], using a single random-density perturbation that seeds the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the r-z plane. For a given pulse-power generator, the comparisons suggest that (1) the smallest interwire gaps compatible with practical load construction and (2) the minimum implosion time consistent with the optimum required energy coupling of the generator to the load should produce the highest total-radiated-power levels.

Wire array Z-pinch insights for enhanced x-ray production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanford, T.W.; Mock, R.C.; Spielman, R.B.; Haines, M.G.; Chittenden, J.P.; Whitney, K.G.; Apruzese, J.P.; Peterson, D.L.; Greenly, J.B.; Sinars, D.B.; Reisman, D.B.; Mosher, D.

1999-01-01

Comparisons of measured total radiated x-ray power from annular wire-array z-pinches with a variety of models as a function of wire number, array mass, and load radius are reviewed. The data, which are comprehensive, have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics that are critical for high x-ray power generation. Collectively, the comparisons of the data with the model calculations suggest that a number of underlying dynamical mechanisms involving cylindrical asymmetries and plasma instabilities contribute to the measured characteristics. For example, under the general assumption that the measured risetime of the total-radiated-power pulse is related to the thickness of the plasma shell formed on axis, the Heuristic Model [IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 26, 1275 (1998)] agrees with the measured risetime under a number of specific assumptions about the way the breakdown of the wires, the wire-plasma expansion, and the Rayleigh - Taylor instability in the r - z plane, develop. Likewise, in the high wire-number regime (where the wires are calculated to form a plasma shell prior to significant radial motion of the shell) the comparisons show that the variation in the power of the radiation generated as a function of load mass and array radius can be simulated by the two-dimensional Eulerian-radiation- magnetohydrodynamics code (E-RMHC) [Phys. Plasmas 3, 368 (1996)], using a single random-density perturbation that seeds the Rayleigh - Taylor instability in the r - z plane. For a given pulse-power generator, the comparisons suggest that (1) the smallest interwire gaps compatible with practical load construction and (2) the minimum implosion time consistent with the optimum required energy coupling of the generator to the load should produce the highest total-radiated-power levels. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Wire Array Z-Pinch Insights for Enhanced X-Ray Production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apruzese, J.P.; Chittenden, J.P.; Greenly, J.B.; Haines, M.G.; Mock, R.C.; Mosher, D.; Peterson, D.L.; Reisman, D.B.; Sanford, T.W.L.; Sinars, D.B.; Spielman, R.B.; Whitnery, K.G.

1999-01-01

Comparisons of measured total radiated x-ray power from annular wire-array z-pinches with a variety of models as a function of wire number, array mass, and load radius are reviewed. The data, which are comprehensive, have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics that are critical for high x-ray power generation. Collectively, the comparisons of the data with the model calculations suggest that a number of underlying dynamical mechanisms involving cylindrical asymmetries and plasma instabilities contribute to the measured characteristics. For example, under the general assumption that the measured risetime of the total-radiated-power pulse is related to the thickness of the plasma shell formed on axis, the Heuristic Model [IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., 26, 1275 (1998)] agrees with the measured risetime under a number of specific assumptions about the way the breakdown of the wires, the wire-plasma expansion, and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the r-z plane, interact. Likewise, in the high wire-number regime (where the wires are calculated to form a plasma shell prior to significant radial motion of the shell) the comparisons show that the variation in the power of the radiation generated as a function of load mass and array radius can be simulated by the 2-D Eulerian-radiation-magnetohydrodynamics code (E-RMHC) [Phys. Plasmas 3, 368 (1996)], using a single random-density perturbation that seeds the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the r-z plane. For a given pulse-power generator, the comparisons suggest that (1) the smallest interwire gaps compatible with practical load construction and (2) the minimum implosion time consistent with the optimum required energy coupling of the generator to the load should produce the highest total-radiated-power levels

On the stability of radiation-pressure-dominated cavities

Science.gov (United States)

Kuiper, R.; Klahr, H.; Beuther, H.; Henning, Th.

2012-01-01

Context. When massive stars exert a radiation pressure onto their environment that is higher than their gravitational attraction (super-Eddington condition), they launch a radiation-pressure-driven outflow, which creates cleared cavities. These cavities should prevent any further accretion onto the star from the direction of the bubble, although it has been claimed that a radiative Rayleigh-Taylor instability should lead to the collapse of the outflow cavity and foster the growth of massive stars. Aims: We investigate the stability of idealized radiation-pressure-dominated cavities, focusing on its dependence on the radiation transport approach used in numerical simulations for the stellar radiation feedback. Methods: We compare two different methods for stellar radiation feedback: gray flux-limited diffusion (FLD) and ray-tracing (RT). Both methods are implemented in our self-gravity radiation hydrodynamics simulations for various initial density structures of the collapsing clouds, eventually forming massive stars. We also derive simple analytical models to support our findings. Results: Both methods lead to the launch of a radiation-pressure-dominated outflow cavity. However, only the FLD cases lead to prominent instability in the cavity shell. The RT cases do not show such instability; once the outflow has started, it precedes continuously. The FLD cases display extended epochs of marginal Eddington equilibrium in the cavity shell, making them prone to the radiative Rayleigh-Taylor instability. In the RT cases, the radiation pressure exceeds gravity by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The radiative Rayleigh-Taylor instability is then consequently suppressed. It is a fundamental property of the gray FLD method to neglect the stellar radiation temperature at the location of absorption and thus to underestimate the opacity at the location of the cavity shell. Conclusions: Treating the stellar irradiation in the gray FLD approximation underestimates the radiative forces

Target experiments with high-power proton beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baumung, K; Bluhm, H; Hoppe, P; Rusch, D; Singer, J; Stoltz, O [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany); Kanel, G I; Razorenov, S V; Utkin, A V [Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka (Russian Federation). Inst. of Chemical Physics

1997-12-31

At the Karlsruhe Light Ion Facility KALE a pulsed high-power proton beam (50 ns, 0.15 TW/cm{sup 2}, 8 mm fwhm focus diameter, 1.7 MeV peak proton energy) is used to generate short, intense pressure pulses or to ablatively accelerate targets 10-100 {mu}m thick to velocities > 10 km/s. The velocity history of the rear target surface is recorded by line-imaging laser Doppler velocimetry with high spatial ({>=} 10 {mu}m) and temporal ({>=} 200 ps) resolution, and provides information on proton beam parameters, and on the state of the matter at high energy densities and intense loading. Utilizing the bell-shaped power density profile the authors demonstrated a new straightforward method for measuring the shock pressure that leads to material melting in the rarefaction wave. For the first time, the dynamic tensile strength was measured across a crystal grain boundary, and using targets with a 1D periodic structure, the growth rate of a Rayleigh Taylor instability could be measured for the first time in direct drive experiments with an ion beam. (author). 8 figs., 15 refs.

RANS modeling of RTI and HVDT with BHR3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trettel, Ben [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2012-08-15

The BHR3 turbulence model was improved to include two different scales as suggested by Livescu et al. [Liv+09, {section}4.4.6]: one for turbulent transport and the other for turbulent dissipation. Additionally, destruction terms modeled analogously to production terms were added to the turbulent mass-weighted velocity equation. New model coefficients were developed for this model. The first change was to use C{sub 2} = 1.77 for the isotropic turbulence decay coefficient rather than the k-e model's 1.92, which is outside of the experimentally measured values [ML90; KF09]. The new model coefficients were developed to accurately model a wide range of experimental and numerical results: constant and variable density Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, and homogeneous variable density turbulence (HVDT) [LR07]. My work focused on the buoyancy-driven flows: Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and HVDT.

The effects of early time laser drive on hydrodynamic instability growth in National Ignition Facility implosions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peterson, J. L.; Clark, D. S.; Suter, L. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Masse, L. P. [CEA, DAM, DIF, 91297 Arpajon (France)

2014-09-15

Defects on inertial confinement fusion capsule surfaces can seed hydrodynamic instability growth and adversely affect capsule performance. The dynamics of shocks launched during the early period of x-ray driven National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosions determine whether perturbations will grow inward or outward at peak implosion velocity and final compression. In particular, the strength of the first shock, launched at the beginning of the laser pulse, plays an important role in determining Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) oscillations on the ablation front. These surface oscillations can couple to the capsule interior through subsequent shocks before experiencing Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) growth. We compare radiation hydrodynamic simulations of NIF implosions to analytic theories of the ablative RM and RT instabilities to illustrate how early time laser strength can alter peak velocity growth. We develop a model that couples the RM and RT implosion phases and captures key features of full simulations. We also show how three key parameters can control the modal demarcation between outward and inward growth.

Rayleigh-Taylor Gravity Waves and Quasiperiodic Oscillation Phenomenon in X-ray Binaries

Science.gov (United States)

Titarchuk, Lev

2002-01-01

Accretion onto compact objects in X-ray binaries (black hole, neutron star (NS), white dwarf) is characterized by non-uniform flow density profiles. Such an effect of heterogeneity in presence of gravitational forces and pressure gradients exhibits Rayleigh-Taylor gravity waves (RTGW). They should be seen as quasiperiodic wave oscillations (QPO) of the accretion flow in the transition (boundary) layer between the Keplerian disk and the central object. In this paper the author shows that the main QPO frequency, which is very close to the Keplerian frequency, is split into separate frequencies (hybrid and low branch) under the influence of the gravitational forces in the rotational frame of reference. The RTGWs must be present and the related QPOs should be detected in any system where the gravity, buoyancy and Coriolis force effects cannot be excluded (even in the Earth and solar environments). The observed low and high QPO frequencies are an intrinsic signature of the RTGW. The author elaborates the conditions for the density profile when the RTGW oscillations are stable. A comparison of the inferred QPO frequencies with QPO observations is presented. The author finds that hectohertz frequencies detected from NS binaries can be identified as the RTGW low branch frequencies. The author also predicts that an observer can see the double NS spin frequency during the NS long (super) burst events when the pressure gradients and buoyant forces are suppressed. The Coriolis force is the only force which acts in the rotational frame of reference and its presence causes perfect coherent pulsations with a frequency twice of the NS spin. The QPO observations of neutron binaries have established that the high QPO frequencies do not go beyond of the certain upper limit. The author explains this observational effect as a result of the density profile inversions. Also the author demonstrates that a particular problem of the gravity waves in the rotational frame of reference in the

Development of the striation and filament form of the electrothermal instability

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Edmund; Awe, T. J.; Yelton, W. G.; McKenzie, B. B.; Peterson, K. J.; Bauer, B. S.; Hutchinson, T. M.; Fuelling, S.; Yates, K. C.; Shipley, G.

2017-10-01

Magnetically imploded liners have broad application to ICF, dynamic material property studies, and flux compression. An important consideration in liner performance is the electrothermal instability (ETI), an Ohmic heating instability that manifests in 2 ways: assuming vertical current flow, ETI forms hot, horizontal bands (striations) in metals, and vertical filaments in plasmas. Striations are especially relevant in that they can develop into density perturbations, which then couple to the dangerous magneto Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability during liner acceleration. Recent visible emission images of Ohmically heated rods show evidence of both the striation and filament form of ETI, suggesting several questions: (1) can simulation qualitatively reproduce the data? (2) If so, what seeds the striation ETI, and how does it transition to filaments? (3) Does the striation develop into a strong density perturbation, important for MRT? In this work, we use analytic theory and 3D MHD simulation to study how isolated resistive inclusions, embedded in a perfectly smooth rod and communicating through current redistribution, can be used to address the above questions. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc. for the U.S. DOE NNSA under contract DE-NA0003525.

Computational investigation of reshock strength in hydrodynamic instability growth at the National Ignition Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, Jason; Raman, Kumar; Huntington, Channing; Nagel, Sabrina; Morgan, Brandon; Prisbrey, Shon; MacLaren, Stephan

2017-10-01

Experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are studying Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instabilities in multiply-shocked plasmas. Targets feature two different-density fluids with a multimode initial perturbation at the interface, which is struck by two X-ray-driven shock waves. Here we discuss computational hydrodynamics simulations investigating the effect of second-shock (``reshock'') strength on instability growth, and how these simulations are informing target design for the ongoing experimental campaign. A Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) model was used to predict motion of the spike and bubble fronts and the mixing-layer width. In addition to reshock strength, the reshock ablator thickness and the total length of the target were varied; all three parameters were found to be important for target design, particularly for ameliorating undesirable reflected shocks. The RANS data are compared to theoretical models that predict multimode instability growth proportional to the shock-induced change in interface velocity, and to currently-available data from the NIF experiments. Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. D.O.E. by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-734611.

Threshold and maximum power evolution of stimulated Brillouin scattering and Rayleigh backscattering in a single mode fiber segment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez-Lara, R; Alvarez-Chavez, J A; Mendez-Martinez, F; De la Cruz-May, L; Perez-Sanchez, G G

2015-01-01

The behavior of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) and Rayleigh backscattering phenomena, which limit the forward transmission power in modern, ultra-long haul optical communication systems such as dense wavelength division multiplexing systems is analyzed via simulation and experimental investigation of threshold and maximum power. Evolution of SBS, Rayleigh scattering and forward powers are experimentally investigated with a 25 km segment of single mode fiber. Also, a simple algorithm to predict the generation of SBS is proposed where two criteria of power thresholds was used for comparison with experimental data. (paper)

Suppression of instability in rotatory hydromagnetic convection

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

first time by Lord Rayleigh [9] for the idealized case of two free boundaries. Rayleigh's theory shows that the gravity-dominated thermal instability in liquid layer ... suppressed for oscillatory perturbations by the simultaneous application of a ...

On physical and numerical instabilities arising in simulations of non-stationary radiatively cooling shocks

Science.gov (United States)

Badjin, D. A.; Glazyrin, S. I.; Manukovskiy, K. V.; Blinnikov, S. I.

2016-06-01

We describe our modelling of the radiatively cooling shocks and their thin shells with various numerical tools in different physical and calculational setups. We inspect structure of the dense shell, its formation and evolution, pointing out physical and numerical factors that sustain its shape and also may lead to instabilities. We have found that under certain physical conditions, the circular shaped shells show a strong bending instability and successive fragmentation on Cartesian grids soon after their formation, while remain almost unperturbed when simulated on polar meshes. We explain this by physical Rayleigh-Taylor-like instabilities triggered by corrugation of the dense shell surfaces by numerical noise. Conditions for these instabilities follow from both the shell structure itself and from episodes of transient acceleration during re-establishing of dynamical pressure balance after sudden radiative cooling onset. They are also easily excited by physical perturbations of the ambient medium. The widely mentioned non-linear thin shell instability, in contrast, in tests with physical perturbations is shown to have only limited chances to develop in real radiative shocks, as it seems to require a special spatial arrangement of fluctuations to be excited efficiently. The described phenomena also set new requirements on further simulations of the radiatively cooling shocks in order to be physically correct and free of numerical artefacts.

Auto-Ignition and Spray Characteristics of n-Heptane and iso-Octane Fuels in Ignition Quality Tester

KAUST Repository

Jaasim, Mohammed; Elhagrasy, Ayman; Sarathy, Mani; Chung, Suk-Ho; Im, Hong G.

2018-01-01

breakup models, namely the Kelvin-Helmholtz/Rayleigh-Taylor (KH-RT) and linearized instability sheet atomization (LISA) models, in terms of their influence on auto-ignition predictions. Two spray models resulted in different local mixing

Modeling, measuring, and mitigating instability growth in liner implosions on Z

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Kyle

2015-11-01

Electro-thermal instabilities result from non-uniform heating due to temperature dependence in the conductivity of a material. In this talk, we will discuss the role of electro-thermal instabilities on the dynamics of magnetically accelerated implosion systems. We present simulations that show electro-thermal instabilities form immediately after the surface material of a conductor melts and can act as a significant seed to subsequent magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability growth. We discuss measurement results from experiments performed on Sandia National Laboratories Z accelerator to investigate signatures of electro-thermal instability growth on well-characterized initially solid aluminum or beryllium rods driven with a 20 MA, 100 ns risetime current pulse. These measurements show good agreement with electro-thermal instability simulations and exhibit larger instability growth than can be explained by MRT theory alone. Recent experiments have confirmed simulation predictions of dramatically reduced instability growth in solid metallic rods when thick dielectric coatings are used to mitigate density perturbations arising from the electro-thermal instability. These results provide further evidence that the inherent surface roughness of the target is not the dominant seed for the MRT instability, in contrast with most inertial confinement fusion approaches. These results suggest a new technique for substantially reducing the integral MRT growth in magnetically driven implosions. Indeed, recent results on the Z facility with 100 km/s Al and Be liner implosions show substantially reduced growth. These new results include axially magnetized, CH-coated beryllium liner radiographs in which the inner liner surface is observed to be remarkably straight and uniform at a radius of about 120 microns (convergence ratio ~20). Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under

Bus Participation Factor Analysis for Harmonic Instability in Power Electronics Based Power Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ebrahimzadeh, Esmaeil; Blaabjerg, Frede; Wang, Xiongfei

2018-01-01

Compared with the conventional power systems, large-scale power electronics based power systems present a more complex situation, where harmonic instability may be induced by the mutual interactions between the inner control loops of the converters. This paper presents an approach to locate which...... power converters and buses are more sensitive and have significant contribution to the harmonic instability. In the approach, a power electronics based system is introduced as a Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) dynamic system by means of a dynamic admittance matrix. Bus Participation Factors (PFs......) are calculated by the oscillatory mode sensitivity analysis versus the elements of the MIMO transfer function matrix. The PF analysis detects which power electronic converters or buses have a higher participation in harmonic instability excitation than others or at which buses such instability problems have...

LLE Review: Quarterly report, July--September 1994. Volume 60

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knauer, J.P. [ed.

1994-12-31

This volume contains articles on efficient generation of second-harmonic radiation from short-pulse lasers; calculation of the stabilization cutoff wave numbers for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability; a high-frequency silicon optical modulator; the angular dependence of stimulated Brillouin scattering; and femtosecond dynamics of ladder polymers. Three of these articles--second-harmonic generation, Rayleigh-Taylor cutoff wave numbers, and angular dependence of Brillouin scattering--are directly related to the OMEGA Upgrade, currently under construction. A summary of the status of the OMEGA Upgrade laser facility and the NLUF News for FY94 are included in this volume.

Measurement of the stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karr, T.J.; Rushford, M.C.; Murray, J.R.; Morris, J.R.

1989-04-01

Growth of perturbations due to stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering was observed on a laser beam propagating in a 1 meter cell of CC14. Initial sinusoidal irradiance perturbations were seeded onto the laser leam, and their amplification in the cell was recorded by a near field camera. The perturbation growth rate is in agreement with analytical predictions of linearized propagation theory

Numerical Simulations of Hollow-Cone Injection and Gasoline Compression Ignition Combustion With Naphtha Fuels

KAUST Repository

Badra, Jihad A.; Sim, Jaeheon; Elwardani, Ahmed Elsaid; Jaasim, Mohammed; Viollet, Yoann; Chang, Junseok; Amer, Amer; Im, Hong G.

2016-01-01

. An optimum combination has been identified and applied in the combusting GCI simulations. Linear instability sheet atomization (LISA) breakup model and modified Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor (KH-RT) break models proved to work the best

Numerical Simulations of Hollow Cone Injection and Gasoline Compression Ignition Combustion With Naphtha Fuels

KAUST Repository

Badra, Jihad A.; Sim, Jaeheon; Elwardani, Ahmed Elsaid; Jaasim, Mohammed; Viollet, Yoann; Chang, Junseok; Amer, Amer A.; Im, Hong G.

2016-01-01

identified and applied in the combusting GCI simulations. Linear instability sheet atomization (LISA) breakup model and modified Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor (KH-RT) break models proved to work the best for the investigated injector. Comparisons

Convective hydromagnetic instabilities of a power-law liquid saturating a porous medium: Flux conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Chahtour, C.; Ben Hamed, H.; Beji, H.; Guizani, A.; Alimi, W.

2018-01-01

We investigate how an external imposed magnetic field affects thermal instability in a horizontal shallow porous cavity saturated by a non-Newtonian power-law liquid. The magnetic field is assumed to be constant and parallel to the gravity. A uniform heat flux is applied to the horizontal walls of the layer while the vertical walls are adiabatic. We use linear stability analysis to find expressions for the critical Rayleigh number as a function of the power-law index and the intensity of the magnetic field. We use nonlinear parallel flow theory to find some explicit solutions of the problem, and we use finite difference numerical simulations to solve the full nonlinear equations. We show how the presence of magnetic field alters the known hydrodynamical result of Newtonian flows and power-law flows and how it causes the presence of subcritical finite amplitude convection for both pseudoplastic and dilatant fluids. We also show that in the limit of very strong magnetic field, the dissipation of energy by Joule effect dominates the dissipation of energy by shear stress and gives to the liquid an inviscid character.

Applications of Analytical Self-Similar Solutions of Reynolds-Averaged Models for Instability-Induced Turbulent Mixing

Science.gov (United States)

Hartland, Tucker; Schilling, Oleg

2017-11-01

Analytical self-similar solutions to several families of single- and two-scale, eddy viscosity and Reynolds stress turbulence models are presented for Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability-induced turbulent mixing. The use of algebraic relationships between model coefficients and physical observables (e.g., experimental growth rates) following from the self-similar solutions to calibrate a member of a given family of turbulence models is shown. It is demonstrated numerically that the algebraic relations accurately predict the value and variation of physical outputs of a Reynolds-averaged simulation in flow regimes that are consistent with the simplifying assumptions used to derive the solutions. The use of experimental and numerical simulation data on Reynolds stress anisotropy ratios to calibrate a Reynolds stress model is briefly illustrated. The implications of the analytical solutions for future Reynolds-averaged modeling of hydrodynamic instability-induced mixing are briefly discussed. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Sedimentation from flocculated suspensions in the presence of settling-driven gravitational interface instabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Rouhnia, Mohamad; Strom, Kyle

2015-09-01

We experimentally examine sedimentation from a freshwater suspension of clay flocs overlying saltwater in the presence of gravitational instabilities. The study seeks to determine: (1) if flocculation hampers or alters interface instability formation; (2) how the removal rates of sediment from the buoyant layer compare to those predicted by individual floc settling; and (3) whether or not it is possible to develop a model for effective settling velocity. The experiments were conducted in a tank at isothermal conditions. All experiments were initially stably stratified but later developed instabilities near the interface that grew into downward convecting plumes of fluid and sediment. Throughout, we measured sediment concentration in the upper and lower layers, floc size, and plume descent rates. The data showed that flocculation modifies the mixture settling velocity, and therefore shifts the mode of interface instability from double-diffusive (what one would expect from unflocculated clay) to settling-driven leaking and Rayleigh-Taylor instability formation. Removal rates of sediment from the upper layer in the presence of these instabilities were on the same order of magnitude as those predicted by individual floc settling. However, removal rates were found to better correlate with the speed of the interface plumes. A simple force-balance model was found to be capable of reasonably describing plume velocity based on concentration in the buoyant layer. This relation, coupled with a critical Grashof number and geometry relations, allowed us to develop a model for the effective settling velocity of the mixture based solely on integral values of the upper layer.

Short Rayleigh Length Free Electron Lasers

CERN Document Server

Crooker, P P; Armstead, R L; Blau, J

2004-01-01

Conventional free electron laser (FEL) oscillators minimize the optical mode volume around the electron beam in the undulator by making the resonator Rayleigh length about one third of the undulator length. This maximizes gain and beam-mode coupling. In compact configurations of high-power infrared FELs or moderate power UV FELs, the resulting optical intensity can damage the resonator mirrors. To increase the spot size and thereby reduce the optical intensity at the mirrors below the damage threshold, a shorter Rayleigh length can be used, but the FEL interaction is significantly altered. A new FEL interaction is described and analyzed with a Rayleigh length that is only one tenth the undulator length, or less. The effect of mirror vibration and positioning are more critical in the short Rayleigh length design, but we find that they are still within normal design tolerances.

Progress in indirect and direct-drive planar experiments on hydrodynamic instabilities at the ablation front

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casner, A., E-mail: alexis.casner@cea.fr; Masse, L.; Huser, G.; Galmiche, D.; Liberatore, S.; Riazuelo, G. [CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France); Delorme, B. [CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France); CELIA, University of Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, F-33400 Talence (France); Martinez, D.; Remington, B.; Smalyuk, V. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Igumenshchev, I.; Michel, D. T.; Froula, D.; Seka, W.; Goncharov, V. N. [Laboratory of Laser Energetics, Rochester, New York 14623-1299 (United States); Olazabal-Loumé, M.; Nicolaï, Ph.; Breil, J.; Tikhonchuk, V. T. [CELIA, University of Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, F-33400 Talence (France); Fujioka, S. [Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565 (Japan); and others

2014-12-15

Understanding and mitigating hydrodynamic instabilities and the fuel mix are the key elements for achieving ignition in Inertial Confinement Fusion. Cryogenic indirect-drive implosions on the National Ignition Facility have evidenced that the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) is a driver of the hot spot mix. This motivates the switch to a more flexible higher adiabat implosion design [O. A. Hurricane et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 056313 (2014)]. The shell instability is also the main candidate for performance degradation in low-adiabat direct drive cryogenic implosions [Goncharov et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 056315 (2014)]. This paper reviews recent results acquired in planar experiments performed on the OMEGA laser facility and devoted to the modeling and mitigation of hydrodynamic instabilities at the ablation front. In application to the indirect-drive scheme, we describe results obtained with a specific ablator composition such as the laminated ablator or a graded-dopant emulator. In application to the direct drive scheme, we discuss experiments devoted to the study of laser imprinted perturbations with special phase plates. The simulations of the Richtmyer-Meshkov phase reversal during the shock transit phase are challenging, and of crucial interest because this phase sets the seed of the RTI growth. Recent works were dedicated to increasing the accuracy of measurements of the phase inversion. We conclude by presenting a novel imprint mitigation mechanism based on the use of underdense foams. The foams induce laser smoothing by parametric instabilities thus reducing the laser imprint on the CH foil.

The origin and structure of streak-like instabilities in laminar boundary layer flames

Science.gov (United States)

Gollner, Michael; Miller, Colin; Tang, Wei; Finney, Mark

2017-11-01

Streamwise streaks are consistently observed in wildland fires, at the base of pool fires, and in other heated flows within a boundary layer. This study examines both the origin of these structures and their role in influencing some of the macroscopic properties of the flow. Streaks were reproduced and characterized via experiments on stationary heated strips and liquid and gas-fueled burners in laminar boundary layer flows, providing a framework to develop theory based on both observed and measured physical phenomena. The incoming boundary layer was established as the controlling mechanism in forming streaks, which are generated by pre-existing coherent structures, while the amplification of streaks was determined to be compatible with quadratic growth of Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities, providing credence to the idea that the downstream growth of streaks is strongly tied to buoyancy. These local instabilities were also found to affect macroscopic properties of the flow, including heat transfer to the surface, indicating that a two-dimensional assumption may fail to adequately describe heat and mass transfer during flame spread and other reacting boundary layer flows. This work was supported by NSF (CBET-1554026) and the USDA-FS (13-CS-11221637-124).

Instabilities observed at the bubble edge of a laser produced plasma during its expansion in an ambient tenuous plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Bo Ram; Clark, S. E.; Hoffmann, D. H. H.; Niemann, C.

2014-10-01

The Raptor kJ class 1053 nm Nd:Glass laser in the Phoenix laser laboratory at University of California, Los Angeles, is used to ablate a dense debris plasma from a graphite or plastic target embedded in a tenuous, uniform, and quiescent ambient magnetized plasma in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) which provides a peak plasma density of ni ~ 1013 cm-3. Its background magnetic field can vary between 200 and 1200 G. Debris ions from laser produced plasma expand out conically with super-Alfvénic speed (MA ~ 2) and expel the background magnetic field and ambient ions to form a diamagnetic bubble. The debris plasma interacts with the ambient plasma and the magnetic field and acts as a piston which can create collisionless shocks. Flute-type instabilities, which are probably large Larmor radius Rayleigh Taylor instabilities or lower hybrid drift instabilities, are developed at the bubble edge and also observed in the experiment. The amplitude and wavelength dependence of the instabilities, which might be a strong function of debris to ambient mass to charge ratio, is studied and the experimental results are compared to the two dimensional hybrid simulations. the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft in the framework of the Excellence Initiative Darmstadt Graduate School of Energy Science and Engineering (GSC1070).

Spinning targets for laser fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldwin, D.E.; Ryutov, D.D.

1995-09-01

Several techniques for spinning the ICF targets up prior to or in the course of their compression are suggested. Interference of the rotational shear flow with Rayleigh-Taylor instability is briefly discussed and possible consequences for the target performance are pointed out

Theoretical analysis of mode instability in high-power fiber amplifiers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kristian Rymann; Alkeskjold, Thomas Tanggaard; Broeng, Jes

2013-01-01

We present a simple theoretical model of transverse mode instability in high-power rare-earth doped fiber amplifiers. The model shows that efficient power transfer between the fundamental and higher-order modes of the fiber can be induced by a nonlinear interaction mediated through the thermo......-optic effect, leading to transverse mode instability. The temporal and spectral characteristics of the instability dynamics are investigated, and it is shown that the instability can be seeded by both quantum noise and signal intensity noise, while pure phase noise of the signal does not induce instability...

The linear electric motor: Instability at 1,000 g's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, S.

1997-01-01

When fluid of high density is supported against gravity by a less dense liquid, the system is unstable, and microscopic perturbations grow at the interface between the fluids. This phenomenon, called the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, also occurs when a bottle of oil-and-vinegar salad dressing is turned upside down. The instability causes spikes of the dense fluid to penetrate the light fluid, while bubbles of the lighter fluid rise into the dense fluid. The same phenomenon occurs when a light fluid is used to accelerate a dense fluid, causing the two fluids to mix at a very high rate. For example, during the implosion of an ICF capsule, this instability can cause enough mixing to contaminate, cool, and degrade the yield of the thermonuclear fuel. The LEM is an excellent tool for studying this instability, but what is it? Think of a miniature high-speed electric train (the container) hurtling down a track (the electrodes) while diagnostic equipment (optical and laser) photographs it. The LEM, consists of four linear electrodes, or rails, that carry an electrical current to a pair of sliding armatures on the container. A magnetic field is produced that works in concert with the rail-armature current to accelerate the container--just as in an electric motor, but in a linear fashion rather than in rotation. The magnetic field is augmented with elongated coils just as in a conventional electric motor. This configuration also helps hold the armatures against the electrodes to prevent arcing. The electrical energy (0.6 megajoules) is provided by 16 capacitor banks that can be triggered independently to produce different acceleration profiles (i.e., how the acceleration varies with time)

A review of recent results on spread F theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ossakow, S.L.

1979-01-01

Ionospheric Spread F was discovered some four decades ago. Yet only in the past few years has significant progress been made in the theoretical explanation of such phenomena. In particular, considerable effort has been expended to explain equatorial Spread F and the attendant satellite signal propagation scintillation phenomena. The present review dwells mainly in this low latitude area. The various linear plasma instabilities thought to initiate equatorial Spread F are discussed. Recent theoretical and numerical simulation studies of the nonlinear evolution of the collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability in equatorial Spread F are reviewed. Also, analytical studies of rising equatorial Spread F bubbles in the collisional and collisionless Rayleigh-Taylor regime are discussed, as well as the nohlinear saturation of instabilities in these two regimes. Current theories on very small scale (< approx 10 meters) size irregularities observed by radar backscatter during equatorial Spread F and their relation to the larger wavelength scintillation causing irregularities are discussed. Application of turbulence theory to equatorial Spread F phenomena is reviewed. Remaining problems to be dealt with at equatorial latitudes are summarized. (Auth.)

Analysis of target implosion irradiated by proton beam, (1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamba, Moritake; Nagata, Norimasa; Kawata, Shigeo; Niu, Keishiro.

1982-10-01

Numerical simulation and analysis were performed for the implosion of a hollow shell target driven by proton beam. The target consists of three layers of Pb, Al and DT. As the Al layer is heated by proton beam, the layer expands and pushes the DT layer toward the target center. To obtain the optimal velocity of DT implosion, the optimal target size and optimal layer thickness were determined. The target size is determined by, for example, the instability of the implosion or beam focusing on the target surface. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the unstable implosion due to the inhomogeneity were investigated. Dissipation, nonlinear effects and density gradient at the boundary were expected to reduce the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability during the implosion. In order that the deviation of the boundary surface during the implosion is less than the thickness of fuel, the inhomogeneity of the temperature and the density of the target should be less than ten percent. The amplitude of the boundary surface roughness is required to be less than 4 micrometer. (Kato, T.)

Hydro-osmotic Instabilities in Active Membrane Tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Izzi, Sami C.; Rowlands, George; Sens, Pierre; Turner, Matthew S.

2018-03-01

We study a membrane tube with unidirectional ion pumps driving an osmotic pressure difference. A pressure-driven peristaltic instability is identified, qualitatively distinct from similar tension-driven Rayleigh-type instabilities on membrane tubes. We discuss how this instability could be related to the function and biogenesis of membrane bound organelles, in particular, the contractile vacuole complex. The unusually long natural wavelength of this instability is in agreement with that observed in cells.

Equipartition and transport in two-dimensional electrostatic turbulence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naulin, V.; Nycander, J.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

1998-01-01

Turbulent equipartition is investigated for the nonlinear evolution of pressure driven flute modes of a plasma in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is recovered by linear stability analysis, and occurs when the pressure profile is more peaked than the profile of the...

Imploding process and x-ray emission of shotgun z-pinch plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muto, Ryusuke; Takasugi, Keiichi; Miyamoto, Tetsu

2001-01-01

Rayleigh-Taylor instability was observed on the surface of a contracting z-pinch plasma. Wavelength of the instability was analyzed from the envelope of the profile, and it increased with implosion. Analysis with finite Larmor radius effect shows that there is some acceleration of ions during the contraction process. A suggestion to obtain macroscopically uniform plasma is to increase plasma current without heating the plasma. (author)

Imploding process and x-ray emission of shotgun z-pinch plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muto, Ryusuke [Nihon University, College of Science and Technology, Tokyo (Japan); Takasugi, Keiichi; Miyamoto, Tetsu [Nihon University, Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokyo (Japan)

2001-09-01

Rayleigh-Taylor instability was observed on the surface of a contracting z-pinch plasma. Wavelength of the instability was analyzed from the envelope of the profile, and it increased with implosion. Analysis with finite Larmor radius effect shows that there is some acceleration of ions during the contraction process. A suggestion to obtain macroscopically uniform plasma is to increase plasma current without heating the plasma. (author)

Radio evolution of young supernova remnants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirkey, R.C. Jr.

1976-01-01

A one dimensional spherically symmetric magnetohydrodynamic code was developed to describe the evolution of the dynamical and radio properties of young supernova remnants. The code contains subroutines which treat the development of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities wherever they arise in the remnant. Under the assumption of quasi-stationary equilibrium (dynamical changes considered slow in comparison to the time it takes the instability to achieve equilibrium) determined that the velocity of the instability is W approximately (a lambda)/sup 1 / 2 /, where a is the Rayleigh-Taylor acceleration and lambda is the wavelength of the instability. Subsequent processing of the kinetic energy of expansion, through turbulence, resulted in an increase in temperature and magnetic field strength. The model was used to analyze instability effects of density inhomogeneities in the interstellar medium on magnetic field amplification. A model was constructed for Cassiopeia A which gave good agreement with the measured dynamics, radio structure, and secular flux density decrease for the remnant. In order to compare observation with theory a computer routine was written that convolves the surface brightness at the source. The resultant convolved surface brightness graph is in good agreement with Rosenberg's observed ''model profile;'' differences between the graphs can be attributed to the asymmetric expansion of Cassiopeia A

Mathematical, physical and numerical principles essential for models of turbulent mixing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharp, David Howland [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Lim, Hyunkyung [STONY BROOK UNIV; Yu, Yan [STONY BROOK UNIV; Glimm, James G [STONY BROOK UNIV

2009-01-01

We propose mathematical, physical and numerical principles which are important for the modeling of turbulent mixing, especially the classical and well studied Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities which involve acceleration driven mixing of a fluid discontinuity layer, by a steady accerleration or an impulsive force.

Viscous potential flow analysis of magnetohydrodynamic interfacial stability through porous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obied Allah, M.H.

2013-01-01

In the view of viscous potential flow theory, the hydromagnetic stability of the interface between two infinitely conducting, incompressible plasmas, streaming parallel to the interface and subjected to a constant magnetic field parallel to the streaming direction will be considered. The plasmas are flowing through porous media between two rigid planes and surface tension is taken into account. A general dispersion relation is obtained analytically and solved numerically. For Kelvin-Helmholtz instability problem, the stability criterion is given by a critical value of the relative velocity. On the other hand, a comparison between inviscid and viscous potential flow solutions has been made and it has noticed that viscosity plays a dual role, destabilizing for Rayleigh-Taylor problem and stabilizing for Kelvin-Helmholtz. For Rayleigh-Taylor instability, a new dispersion relation has been obtained in terms of a critical wave number. It has been found that magnetic field, surface tension, and rigid planes have stabilizing effects, whereas critical wave number and porous media have destabilizing effects. (author)

Quasi-two-dimensional nonlinear evolution of helical magnetorotational instability in a magnetized Taylor-Couette flow

Science.gov (United States)

Mamatsashvili, G.; Stefani, F.; Guseva, A.; Avila, M.

2018-01-01

Magnetorotational instability (MRI) is one of the fundamental processes in astrophysics, driving angular momentum transport and mass accretion in a wide variety of cosmic objects. Despite much theoretical/numerical and experimental efforts over the last decades, its saturation mechanism and amplitude, which sets the angular momentum transport rate, remains not well understood, especially in the limit of high resistivity, or small magnetic Prandtl numbers typical to interiors (dead zones) of protoplanetary disks, liquid cores of planets and liquid metals in laboratory. Using direct numerical simulations, in this paper we investigate the nonlinear development and saturation properties of the helical magnetorotational instability (HMRI)—a relative of the standard MRI—in a magnetized Taylor-Couette flow at very low magnetic Prandtl number (correspondingly at low magnetic Reynolds number) relevant to liquid metals. For simplicity, the ratio of azimuthal field to axial field is kept fixed. From the linear theory of HMRI, it is known that the Elsasser number, or interaction parameter determines its growth rate and plays a special role in the dynamics. We show that this parameter is also important in the nonlinear problem. By increasing its value, a sudden transition from weakly nonlinear, where the system is slightly above the linear stability threshold, to strongly nonlinear, or turbulent regime occurs. We calculate the azimuthal and axial energy spectra corresponding to these two regimes and show that they differ qualitatively. Remarkably, the nonlinear state remains in all cases nearly axisymmetric suggesting that this HMRI-driven turbulence is quasi two-dimensional in nature. Although the contribution of non-axisymmetric modes increases moderately with the Elsasser number, their total energy remains much smaller than that of the axisymmetric ones.

Effect of magnetic field on ablatively driven Richtmyer-Meshkov instability induced by interfacial nonlinear structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labakanta Mandal; Banerjee, R.; Roy, S.; Khan, M.; Gupta, M.R.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. In an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) situation, laser driven ablation front of an imploding capsule is subjected to the fluid instabilities like Rayleigh-Taylor (RT), Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability. In this case dense core is compressed and accelerated by low density ablating plasma. During this process laser driven shocks interact the interface and hence it becomes unstable due to the formation of nonlinear structure like bubble and spike. The nonlinear structure is called bubble if the lighter fluid pushes inside the heavier fluid and spike, if opposite takes place. R-M instability causes non-uniform compression of ICF fuel pellets and needs to be mitigated. Scientists and researchers are much more interested on RM instability both from theoretical and experimental points of view. In this article, we have presented the analytical expression for the growth rate and velocity for the nonlinear structures due to the effect of magnetic field of fluid using potential flow model. The magnetic field is assumed to be parallel to the plane of two fluid interfaces. If the magnetic field is restricted only to either side of interface the R-M instability can be stabilized or destabilized depending on whether the magnetic pressure on the interface opposes the instability driving shock pressure or acts in the same direction. An interesting result is that if both the fluids are magnetized, interface as well as velocity of bubble and spike will show oscillating stabilization and R-M instability is mitigated. All analytical results are also supported by numerical results. Numerically it is seen that magnetic field above certain minimum value reduces the instability for compression the target in ICF.

Taylor Hydro plant goes live

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2000-01-01

The 12.75 MW Taylor Hydroelectric Plant in Magrath, Alberta, synchronized its generator with the Alberta Power Grid and began production in April 2000. The plant is located on Government of Alberta irrigation works and is owned by Canadian Hydro Developers. During the irrigation season the plant will generate approximately 40 million kilowatt hours of zero-emission 'green' power for consumption, enough to power 5,000 homes for a year. The Taylor plant is a joint venture with EPCOR Power Development Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EPCOR Inc., the City of Edmonton utility. Canadian Hydro Developers also owns a 19 MW wind plant and a 6 MW gas plant in Alberta and five other 'run of river' hydro plants in Ontario and British Columbia. The company is committed to the concept of low-impact power generation; its ownership of wind run-of-river hydro and gas-fired facilities is proof of that commitment

Classical and ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov instability and other ICF-relevant plasma flows diagnosed with monochromatic x-ray imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aglitskiy, Y; Metzler, N; Karasik, M; Velikovich, A L; Zalesak, S T; Schmitt, A J; Serlin, V; Weaver, J; Obenschain, S P; Gardner, J H

2008-01-01

In inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and high-energy density physics (HEDP), the most important manifestations of the hydrodynamic instabilities and other mixing processes involve lateral motion of the accelerated plasmas. In order to understand the experimental observations and to advance the numerical simulation codes to the point of predictive capability, it is critically important to accurately diagnose the motion of the dense plasma mass. The most advanced diagnostic technique recently developed for this purpose is the monochromatic x-ray imaging that combines large field of view with high contrast, high spatial resolution and large throughput, ensuring high temporal resolution at large magnification. Its application made it possible for the experimentalists to observe for the first time important hydrodynamic effects that trigger compressible turbulent mixing in laser targets, such as ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability, feedout, interaction of an RM-unstable interface with shock and rarefaction waves. It also helped to substantially improve the accuracy of diagnosing many other important plasma flows, ranging from laser-produced jets to electromagnetically driven wires in a Z-pinch, and to test various methods suggested for mitigation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. We will review the results obtained with the aid of this technique in ICF-HEDP studies at the Naval Research Laboratory and the prospects of its future applications.

Symmetric aluminum-wire arrays generate high-quality Z pinches at large array radii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanford, T.W.; Mock, R.C.; Spielman, R.B.; Peterson, D.L.; Mosher, D.; Roderick, N.F.

1998-01-01

A Saturn-accelerator study of annular, aluminum-wire array, Z-pinch implosions, in the calculated high-wire-number plasma-shell regime [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 5063 (1996)], shows that the radiated x-ray pulse width increases from about 4 nsec to about 7 nsec, when the radius of the array is increased from 8.75 to 20 mm at a fixed array mass of 0.6 mg. Eulerian radiation- magnetohydrodynamic code (E-RMHC) simulations in the r-z plane suggest that this pulse-width increase with radius is due to the faster growth of the shell thickness (that arises from a two-stage development in the magnetic Rayleigh - Taylor instability) relative to the increase in the shell implosion velocity. Over the array radii explored, the measured peak total x-ray power of ∼40 TW and energy of ∼325 kJ show little change outside of a ±15% shot-to-shot fluctuation and are consistent with the E-RMHC simulations. Similarly, the measured peak K-shell (lines plus continuum) power of ∼8 TW and energy of ∼70 kJ show little change with radius. The minimal change in K-shell yield is in agreement with simple K-shell radiation scaling models that assume a fixed radial compression for all initial array radii. These results suggest that the improved uniformity provided by the large number of wires in the initial array reduces the disruptive effects of the Rayleigh - Taylor instability observed in small-wire-number imploding loads. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Symmetric aluminum-wire arrays generate high-quality Z pinches at large array radii

Science.gov (United States)

Sanford, T. W. L.; Mock, R. C.; Spielman, R. B.; Peterson, D. L.; Mosher, D.; Roderick, N. F.

1998-10-01

A Saturn-accelerator study of annular, aluminum-wire array, Z-pinch implosions, in the calculated high-wire-number plasma-shell regime [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 5063 (1996)], shows that the radiated x-ray pulse width increases from about 4 nsec to about 7 nsec, when the radius of the array is increased from 8.75 to 20 mm at a fixed array mass of 0.6 mg. Eulerian radiation- magnetohydrodynamic code (E-RMHC) simulations in the r-z plane suggest that this pulse-width increase with radius is due to the faster growth of the shell thickness (that arises from a two-stage development in the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability) relative to the increase in the shell implosion velocity. Over the array radii explored, the measured peak total x-ray power of ˜40 TW and energy of ˜325 kJ show little change outside of a ±15% shot-to-shot fluctuation and are consistent with the E-RMHC simulations. Similarly, the measured peak K-shell (lines plus continuum) power of ˜8 TW and energy of ˜70 kJ show little change with radius. The minimal change in K-shell yield is in agreement with simple K-shell radiation scaling models that assume a fixed radial compression for all initial array radii. These results suggest that the improved uniformity provided by the large number of wires in the initial array reduces the disruptive effects of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability observed in small-wire-number imploding loads.

Measuring Nominal and Real Convergence of Selected CEE Countries by the Taylor Rule

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Böing Tobias

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We propose using a simple Taylor rule to evaluate business cycle convergence of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland with the Eurozone. Our findings indicate an ongoing convergence of those CEE countries to the Eurozone, but with instabilities and heterogeneity between the countries. Especially Poland has shown a high degree of convergence in recent years. But there are still relevant differences in Taylor rates of each country to the Eurozone of about two percentage points.

Territorial characteristics of low frequency electrostatic fluctuations in a simple magnetized torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaur, R.; Singh, R.; Sarada Sree, A.; Mattoo, S. K.; Singh, A. K.

2011-01-01

This paper presents an experimental investigation of turbulence in simple toroidal plasma devices without rotational transform. It is argued that Rayleigh-Taylor (flute interchange) mode may be one of the source mechanisms for the observed turbulence but is not sufficient to explain its observed global characteristics. Taking BETA device as an example, we show that pure Rayleigh-Taylor mode cannot explain (i) the observation of mode maximum at the location other than where density scale length is minimum, (ii) the comparable value of amplitude level of fluctuations in good curvature region, and (iii) the decrease in the mode amplitude with increasing magnetic field. Investigations have revealed that there exists not only poloidal plasma flow but also that it is sheared. Including this effect explains the first observation. However, modification brought about by velocity shear in the Rayleigh-Taylor mode still does not explain our second and third observations. We have taken an approach that since Rayleigh-Taylor is not excited in a good curvature region, it cannot be the source of turbulence there. Nor is it defensible to say that turbulence born in a bad curvature region is carried over through ExB rotation to the good curvature region. Consequently, we have invoked cross-field Simon-Hoh instability for this region. Experimental evidence supporting our proposal is presented. This paper concludes that toroidal devices have simultaneous existence of different self-consistent sources of turbulence in different regions of the device.

Taylor vortices in the flow between two coaxial cylinders one of which has a step change in radius

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raju, V R K

2014-01-01

A numerical study of the flow between two coaxial cylinders, where one of the cylinders has a step change in radius, is carried out. The inner cylinder rotates and the outer cylinder is stationary. Computation is restricted to axisymmetric motion since instability in flow between coaxial cylinders is found to first occur in the form of axisymmetric Taylor vortices. In the presence of a step, Taylor vortices are found to appear first in the region where the gap between the cylinders is larger and approximately when the local Taylor number in this region reaches the critical Taylor number for onset of instability. Subsequently, Taylor vortices appear in the region where the gap is narrower, and when the local Taylor number in that region exceeds the critical Taylor number. The Taylor vortices have inward flow at a stationary end plate, and outward flow at an end plate which rotates with the same angular velocity as the inner cylinder. Similar results were obtained by Sprague et al (2008 Phys. Fluids 20 014102) for a step on inner cylinder configuration. The step functions as another end plate, if the step size is large. Whereas, it has no effect, if the step size is small. In most situations, these determine whether the number of Taylor vortices in the wide and narrow gap regions is even or odd. When the end plates rotate synchronously, but at a different speed from the inner cylinder, a change from even to odd or odd to even number of vortices in each region occurs at certain rotation rates of the end plates by sudden appearance or disappearance of a vortex at the end of the column. For a certain range of rotation rates of the end plates, the total number of vortices in the entire fluid column is odd, although the end conditions are symmetrical. (paper)

Analytical determination of 3-D global modes in Rayleigh-Benard-Poiseuille-type mixed convection flow; Determination analytique des modes globaux tridimensionnels en ecoulement de convection mixte du type Rayleigh-Benard-Poiseuille

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinand, D

2003-01-15

This analytical study deals with the spatio-temporal evolution of linear thermo-convective instabilities in a horizontal fluid layer heated from below (the Rayleigh--Benard system) and subject to a horizontal pressure gradient (Poiseuille flow). The novelty consists of a spatially inhomogeneous temperature, in the form of a two-dimensional bump imposed on the lower plate, while the upper plate is kept at a constant temperature. The inhomogeneous boundary temperature and the mean flow of the Rayleigh--Benard--Poiseuille system break the symmetries of the classical Rayleigh--Benard system. The instabilities of interest are therefore spatially localised packets of convection rolls. If a mode of this type is synchronized, it is called a global mode. Assuming that the characteristic scale of the spatial variation of the lower plate temperature is large compared to the wavelength of the rolls, global modes are sought in the form of Eigenmodes in the confined vertical direction, modulated by a two-dimensional WKBJ expansion in the slowly-varying horizontal directions. Such an expansion breaks down at points where the group velocity of the instability vanishes, i.e. at WKBJ turning points. In the neighbourhood of one such point, located at the top of the temperature bump, the boundedness of the solution imposes a selection criterion for the global modes which provides the growth rate (or equivalently the critical threshold), the frequency and the wave vector of the most amplified global mode. This study thus generalizes to two-dimensional cases the methods used and the results obtained for one-dimensional inhomogeneities. The analysis is first applied to a simplified governing equation obtained by an envelope formalism and the analytical results are compared with numerical solutions of the amplitude equation. The formalism is finally applied to the Rayleigh--Benard--Poiseuille system described by the Navier--Stokes equations with the Boussinesq approximation. (author)

Formation of dipole vortex in the ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, P.K.; Yu, M.Y.

1985-01-01

It is shown that isolated dipole vortices can exist in the F-region of the ionosphere. These are associated with the Rayleigh-Taylor and E x B 0 gradient drift instabilities. The vortices may be responsible for the rapid structuring of barium clouds as well as other phenomena observed in the upper ionosphere

On the Numerical Modeling of Fluid Instabilities in the Small-Amplitude Limit

Science.gov (United States)

Zalesak, Steven; Schmitt, A. J.; Velikovich, A. L.

2008-11-01

The problem we wish to address is that of accurately modeling the evolution of small-amplitude perturbations to a time- dependent flow, where the unperturbed flow itself exhibits large-amplitude temporal and spatial variations. In particular, we wish to accurately model the evolution of small-amplitude perturbations to an imploding ICF pellet, which is subject to both Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. This modeling is difficult despite the expected linear evolution of the perturbations themselves, because these perturbations are embedded in a highly nonlinear, strongly- shocked, and highly complex flow field which in and of itself stresses numerical computation capabilities, and whose simulation often employs numerical techniques which were not designed with the proper treatment of small-amplitude perturbations in mind. We will review some of the techniques that we have found to be of use toward this end, including the imposition of a ``differentiability condition'' on the component numerical algorithms of the codes which implement such modeling, the appropriate representation of interfaces in an Eulerian hydrodynamics context, and the role of exact energy conservation.

2D Relativistic MHD simulations of the Kruskal-Schwarzschild instability in a relativistic striped wind

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Ramandeep; Granot, Jonathan; Lyubarsky, Yuri

2018-03-01

We study the linear and non-linear development of the Kruskal-Schwarzchild instability in a relativisitically expanding striped wind. This instability is the generalization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the presence of a magnetic field. It has been suggested to produce a self-sustained acceleration mechanism in strongly magnetized outflows found in active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, and micro-quasars. The instability leads to magnetic reconnection, but in contrast with steady-state Sweet-Parker reconnection, the dissipation rate is not limited by the current layer's small aspect ratio. We performed two-dimensional (2D) relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations featuring two cold and highly magnetized (1 ≤ σ ≤ 103) plasma layers with an anti-parallel magnetic field separated by a thin layer of relativistically hot plasma with a local effective gravity induced by the outflow's acceleration. Our simulations show how the heavier relativistically hot plasma in the reconnecting layer drips out and allows oppositely oriented magnetic field lines to reconnect. The instability's growth rate in the linear regime matches the predictions of linear stability analysis. We find turbulence rather than an ordered bulk flow near the reconnection region, with turbulent velocities up to ˜0.1c, largely independent of model parameters. However, the magnetic energy dissipation rate is found to be much slower, corresponding to an effective ordered bulk velocity inflow into the reconnection region vin = βinc of 10-3 ≲ βin ≲ 5 × 10-3. This occurs due to the slow evacuation of hot plasma from the current layer, largely because of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability experienced by the dripping plasma. 3D RMHD simulations are needed to further investigate the non-linear regime.

Electrostatically driven plasma hydrodynamic instability. I. The failure of vacuum-insulated, long wavelength laser fusion pellets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levermore, C.D.; Caflisch, R.E.; Wood, L.L.

1977-10-01

Longer wavelength (e.g., lambda = 10.5 μm) laser radiation generates relatively large fluxes of superthermal electrons that penetrate and preheat the cores of such pellets at early times in their implosion history, precluding their efficient subsequent compression. It has been proposed to separate the outermost shell of such pellets (onto which the laser light is directed) from its inner regions by a vacuum layer, thereby ''insulating'' these inner portions from superthermal electron degradation. We consider this proposal analytically and computationally, and find it to be questionable, due to the rapid penetration of the vacuum insulation layer by plasma streamers from the laser heated shells, which are accelerated to velocities of the order of those of the superthermal electrons by an electrostatic analog of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Results of such considerations are presented. The results developed also apply to a variety of formally similar phenomena, ranging from the relativistic edge of supernova photospheres to diode breakdown in REB machines

Theory of current instability experiments in magnetic Taylor-Couette flows

OpenAIRE

Ruediger, G.; Schultz, M.; Shalybkov, D.; Hollerbach, R.

2006-01-01

We consider the linear stability of dissipative MHD Taylor-Couette flow with imposed toroidal magnetic fields. The inner and outer cylinders can be either insulating or conducting; the inner one rotates, the outer one is stationary. The magnetic Prandtl number can be as small as 10-5, approaching realistic liquid-metal values. The magnetic field destabilizes the flow, except for radial profiles of B$_\\phi$(R) close to the current-free solution. The profile with B$_{in}$=B$_{out}$ (the most un...

Symmetric aluminum-wire arrays generate high-quality Z pinches at large array radii

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanford, T.W.; Mock, R.C.; Spielman, R.B. [Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States); Peterson, D.L. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545-0010 (United States); Mosher, D. [Naval Research Laboratory, Pulsed Power Physics Branch, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Roderick, N.F. [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 (United States)

1998-10-01

A Saturn-accelerator study of annular, aluminum-wire array, Z-pinch implosions, in the calculated high-wire-number plasma-shell regime [Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 77}, 5063 (1996)], shows that the radiated x-ray pulse width increases from about 4 nsec to about 7 nsec, when the radius of the array is increased from 8.75 to 20 mm at a fixed array mass of 0.6 mg. Eulerian radiation- magnetohydrodynamic code (E-RMHC) simulations in the r-z plane suggest that this pulse-width increase with radius is due to the faster growth of the shell thickness (that arises from a two-stage development in the magnetic Rayleigh{endash}Taylor instability) relative to the increase in the shell implosion velocity. Over the array radii explored, the measured peak total x-ray power of {approximately}40 TW and energy of {approximately}325 kJ show little change outside of a {plus_minus}15{percent} shot-to-shot fluctuation and are consistent with the E-RMHC simulations. Similarly, the measured peak {ital K}-shell (lines plus continuum) power of {approximately}8 TW and energy of {approximately}70 kJ show little change with radius. The minimal change in {ital K}-shell yield is in agreement with simple {ital K}-shell radiation scaling models that assume a fixed radial compression for all initial array radii. These results suggest that the improved uniformity provided by the large number of wires in the initial array reduces the disruptive effects of the Rayleigh{endash}Taylor instability observed in small-wire-number imploding loads. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}

Stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability by convection and thermal conduction in smooth density gradient: WKB analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bud'ko, A.B.; Liberman, M.A.; Bondarenko, E.A.

1992-01-01

Since development of the RT modes in the ablatively accelerated plasma of laser targets imposes crucial limitations on symmetry of spherical implosions and hence on energy cumulation, it has been the subject of intensive numerical and analytical analysis in the recent years, particularly in the context of inertial confinement fusion. Recent thin-foil ablative-acceleration experiments as well as the results of 2D numerical simulations demonstrated substantial reduction of the instability growth rates compared with the classical theory predictions up to the total stabilization in the short-wavelength limit. The numerical results indicated that the main stabilization mechanism is convection. To derive the scaling laws for the RT growth rates and cut-off wavenumbers in the wide range of flow parameters, analytical solutions attract special interest. The analytical approach based on the discontinuity model was developed to analyze the reduction of the RT growth rates by the plasma convective flow and the thermal conductivity effects. The following major problem arises in the discontinuity approximation, which leaves the solution undetermined: the number of the boundary conditions on the perturbed ablation surface is not sufficient to derive the dispersion equation. One needs additional boundary conditions not associated with the conservation laws on the discontinuity surface to close the system of linearized equations for small perturbations. The stabilization effect of highly structured hydrodynamic profiles was studied by Mikaelian and Munro for a stationary plasma. Nevertheless, no reasonable analytical model was constructed taking into account the combined convective, thermal conductivity and density gradient reduction of the RT growth rates. In this report we develop the analytical approach based on the WKB approximation to analyze the stabilization of the RT modes in plasma with smooth density and velocity gradients. (author) 9 refs., 1 fig

Effect of barrier layers in burnthrough experiments with 351-nm laser illumination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delettrez, J.; Bradley, D.K.; Jaanimagi, P.A.; Verdon, C.P.

1990-01-01

The time-resolved x-ray emission is measured from spherical targets consisting of glass shells overcoated with plastic in which thin signature layers are embedded. These targets are illuminated at 351 nm by the 24-beam OMEGA laser system at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics of the University of Rochester. We measure a large burnthrough rate for bare plastic targets that can only be replicated in one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations with laser intensities in excess of ten times the nominal intensity. We observe that the burnthrough times are affected by the presence of a thin outer coating (barrier layer). The burnthrough times depend strongly on the barrier-layer material and thickness, whereas one-dimensional simulation results predict only a small effect. Several processes are considered to explain these results: illumination nonuniformity, early shinethrough of the laser light through the plastic, prepulses, filamentation, self-focusing of hot spots, and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. We conclude that mixing due to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, enhanced by early shinethrough, is the most probable cause of the observed large burnthrough rates

Post-midnight equatorial irregularity distributions and vertical drift velocity variations during solstices

Science.gov (United States)

Su, S.-Y.; Liu, C. H.; Chao, C.-K.

2018-04-01

Longitudinal distributions of post-midnight equatorial ionospheric irregularity occurrences observed by ROCSAT-1 (1st satellite of the Republic of China) during moderate to high solar activity years in two solstices are studied with respect to the vertical drift velocity and density variations. The post-midnight irregularity distributions are found to be similar to the well-documented pre-midnight ones, but are different from some published distributions taken during solar minimum years. Even though the post-midnight ionosphere is sinking in general, longitudes of frequent positive vertical drift and high density seems to coincide with the longitudes of high irregularity occurrences. Large scatters found in the vertical drift velocity and density around the dip equator in different ROCSAT-1 orbits indicate the existence of large and frequent variations in the vertical drift velocity and density that seem to be able to provide sufficient perturbations for the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability to cause the irregularity occurrences. The need of seeding agents such as gravity waves from atmospheric convective clouds to initiate the Rayleigh-Taylor instability may not be necessary.

Early Prevention Method for Power Systems Instability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dmitrova, Evgenia

containing no voltage sources). The main functionality of the early prevention method is to deliver control solution allowing escape from instability on the basis of data obtained by PMU measurements. The developed algorithm performs identification of the optimal node for countermeasure application...... instability was created. Utilizing synthetic PMU data, the early prevention method proposed a location and an amount of the countermeasure which will prevent instability; the prediction of the resulting stability margins corresponding to application of the suggested countermeasure was carried out....... The predicted effect of the suggested countermeasure application is in a good agreement with the results obtained by RMS dynamic simulation. Developed method enables adaptive preventive control for near real-time stability maintenance. The achieved results are opening promising perspective for power system...

High efficiency targets for high gain inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardner, J.H.; Bodner, S.E.

1986-01-01

Rocket efficiencies as high as 15% are possible using short wavelength lasers and moderately high aspect ratio pellet designs. These designs are made possible by two recent breakthroughs in physics constraints. First is the development of the Induced Spatial Incoherence (ISI) technique which allows uniform illumination of the pellet and relaxes the constraint of thermal smoothing, permitting the use of short wavelength laser light. Second is the discovery that the Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate is considerably reduced at the short laser wavelengths. By taking advantage of the reduced constraints imposed by nonuniform laser illumination and Rayleigh-Taylor instability, pellets using 1/4 micron laser light and initial aspect ratios of about 10 (with in flight aspect ratios of about 150 to 200) may produce energy gains as high as 200 to 250

High-efficiency targets for high-gain inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardner, J.H.; Bodner, S.E.

1986-01-01

Rocket efficiencies as high as 15% are possible using short wavelength lasers and moderately high aspect ratio pellet designs. These designs are made possible by two recent breakthroughs in physics constraints. First is the development of the induced spatial incoherence (ISI) technique, which allows uniform illumination of the pellet and relaxes the constraint of thermal smoothing, permitting the use of short wavelength laser light. Second is the discovery that the Rayleigh--Taylor growth rate is considerably reduced at short laser wavelengths. By taking advantage of the reduced constraints imposed by nonuniform laser illumination and Rayleigh--Taylor instability, pellets using (1)/(4) μm laser light and initial aspect ratios of about 10 (with in flight aspect ratios of about 150--200) may produce energy gains as high as 200--250

Taylor Instability of Incompressible Liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Fermi, E.; von Neumann, J.

1955-11-01

A discussion is presented in simplified form of the problem of the growth of an initial ripple on the surface of an incompressible liquid in the presence of an acceleration, g, directed from the outside into the liquid. The model is that of a heavy liquid occupying at t = 0 the half space above the plane z = 0, and a rectangular wave profile is assumed. The theory is found to represent correctly one feature of experimental results, namely the fact that the half wave of the heavy liquid into the vacuum becomes rapidly narrower while the half wave pushing into the heavy liquid becomes more and more blunt. The theory fails to account for the experimental results according to which the front of the wave pushing into the heavy liquid moves with constant velocity. The case of instability at the boundary of 2 fluids of different densities is also explored. Similar results are obtained except that the acceleration of the heavy liquid into the light liquid is reduced.

Formation of microbeads during vapor explosions of Field's metal in water

KAUST Repository

Kouraytem, Nadia

2016-06-17

We use high-speed video imaging to investigate vapor explosions during the impact of a molten Field\\'s metal drop onto a pool of water. These explosions occur for temperatures above the Leidenfrost temperature and are observed to occur in up to three stages as the metal temperature is increased, with each explosion being more powerful that the preceding one. The Field\\'s metal drop breaks up into numerous microbeads with an exponential size distribution, in contrast to tin droplets where the vapor explosion deforms the metal to form porous solid structures. We compare the characteristic bead size to the wavelength of the fastest growing mode of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

Formation of microbeads during vapor explosions of Field's metal in water

KAUST Repository

Kouraytem, Nadia; Li, Erqiang; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T

2016-01-01

We use high-speed video imaging to investigate vapor explosions during the impact of a molten Field's metal drop onto a pool of water. These explosions occur for temperatures above the Leidenfrost temperature and are observed to occur in up to three stages as the metal temperature is increased, with each explosion being more powerful that the preceding one. The Field's metal drop breaks up into numerous microbeads with an exponential size distribution, in contrast to tin droplets where the vapor explosion deforms the metal to form porous solid structures. We compare the characteristic bead size to the wavelength of the fastest growing mode of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

From Taylor series to Taylor models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berz, Martin

1997-01-01

An overview of the background of Taylor series methods and the utilization of the differential algebraic structure is given, and various associated techniques are reviewed. The conventional Taylor methods are extended to allow for a rigorous treatment of bounds for the remainder of the expansion in a similarly universal way. Utilizing differential algebraic and functional analytic arguments on the set of Taylor models, arbitrary order integrators with rigorous remainder treatment are developed. The integrators can meet pre-specified accuracy requirements in a mathematically strict way, and are a stepping stone towards fully rigorous estimates of stability of repetitive systems

Reshocks, rarefactions, and the generalized Layzer model for hydrodynamic instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikaelian, K.O.

2008-01-01

We report numerical simulations and analytic modeling of shock tube experiments on Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities. We examine single interfaces of the type A/B where the incident shock is initiated in A and the transmitted shock proceeds into B. Examples are He/air and air/He. In addition, we study finite-thickness or double-interface A/B/A configurations like air/SF 6 /air gas-curtain experiments. We first consider conventional shock tubes that have a 'fixed' boundary: A solid endwall which reflects the transmitted shock and reshocks the interface(s). Then we focus on new experiments with a 'free' boundary--a membrane disrupted mechanically or by the transmitted shock, sending back a rarefaction towards the interface(s). Complex acceleration histories are achieved, relevant for Inertial Confinement Fusion implosions. We compare our simulation results with a generalized Layzer model for two fluids with time-dependent densities, and derive a new freeze-out condition whereby accelerating and compressive forces cancel each other out. Except for the recently reported failures of the Layzer model, the generalized Layzer model and hydrocode simulations for reshocks and rarefactions agree well with each other, and remain to be verified experimentally

Stability of time dependent and spatially varying flows; Proceedings of the Symposium, Hampton, VA, Aug. 19-23, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwoyer, D.L.; Hussaini, M.Y.

1987-01-01

Papers are presented on the application of stability theory to laminar flow control, secondary instabilities in boundary layers, a Floquet analysis of secondary instability in shear flows, and the generation of Tollmien-Schlichting waves by long wavelength free stream disturbances. Also considered are numerical experiments on boundary-layer receptivity, short-scale inviscid instabilities in the flow past surface-mounted obstacles, wave phenomena in a high Reynolds number compressible boundary layer, and instability of time-periodic flows. Other topics include high frequency Rayleigh instability of Stokes layers, stability and resonance in grooved-channel flows, finite length Taylor Couette flow, and vortical structures in the breakdown stage of transition

On Amplify-and-Forward Relaying Over Hyper-Rayleigh Fading Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. H. Alvi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Relayed transmission holds promise for the next generation of wireless communication systems due to the performance gains it can provide over non-cooperative systems. Recently hyper-Rayleigh fading, which represents fading conditions more severe than Rayleigh fading, has received attention in the context of many practical communication scenarios. Though power allocation for Amplify-and-Forward (AF relaying networks has been studied in the literature, a theoretical analysis of the power allocation problem for hyper-Rayleigh fading channels is a novel contribution of this work. We develop an optimal power allocation (OPA strategy for a dual-hop AF relaying network in which the relay-destination link experiences hyper-Rayleigh fading. A new closed-form expression for the average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR at destination is derived and it is shown to provide a new upper-bound on the average SNR at destination, which outperforms a previously proposed upper-bound based on the well-known harmonic-geometric mean inequality. An OPA across the source and relay nodes, subject to a sum-power constraint, is proposed and it is shown to provide measurable performance gains in average SNR and SNR outage at the destination relative to the case of equal power allocation.

Crystalline heterogeneities and instabilities in thermally convecting magma chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Culha, C.; Suckale, J.; Qin, Z.

2016-12-01

A volcanic vent can supply different densities of crystals over an eruption time period. This has been seen in Hawai'i's Kilauea Iki 1959 eruption; however it is not common for all Kilauea or basaltic eruptions. We ask the question: Under what conditions can homogenous magma chamber cultivate crystalline heterogeneities? In some laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, a horizontal variation is observed. The region where crystals reside is identified as a retention zone: convection velocity balances settling velocity. Simulations and experiments that observe retention zones assume crystals do not alter the convection in the fluid. However, a comparison of experiments and simulations of convecting magma with crystals suggest that large crystal volume densities and crystal sizes alter fluid flow considerably. We introduce a computational method that fully resolves the crystalline phase. To simulate basaltic magma chambers in thermal convection, we built a numerical solver of the Navier-Stoke's equation, continuity equation, and energy equation. The modeled magma is assumed to be a viscous, incompressible fluid with a liquid and solid phase. Crystals are spherical, rigid bodies. We create Rayleigh-Taylor instability through a cool top layer and hot bottom layer and update magma density while keeping crystal temperature and size constant. Our method provides a detailed picture of magma chambers, which we compare to other models and experiments to identify when and how crystals alter magma chamber convection. Alterations include stratification, differential settling and instabilities. These characteristics are dependent on viscosity, convection vigor, crystal volume density and crystal characteristics. We reveal that a volumetric crystal density variation may occur over an eruption time period, if right conditions are met to form stratifications and instabilities in magma chambers. These conditions are realistic for Kilauea Iki's 1959 eruption.

Direct observation of mass oscillations due to ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov instability and feedout in planar plastic targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aglitskiy, Y.; Velikovich, A.L.; Karasik, M.; Serlin, V.; Pawley, C.J.; Schmitt, A.J.; Obenschain, S.P.; Mostovych, A.N.; Gardner, J.H.; Metzler, N.

2002-01-01

Perturbations that seed Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability in laser-driven targets form during the early-time period. This time includes a shock wave transit from the front to the rear surface of the target, and a rarefaction wave transit in the opposite direction. During this time interval, areal mass perturbations caused by all sources of nonuniformity (laser imprint, surface ripple) are expected to oscillate. The first direct experimental observations of the areal mass oscillations due to ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability and feedout followed by the RT growth of areal mass modulation are discussed. The experiments were made with 40-99 μm thick planar plastic targets rippled either on the front or on the rear with a sine wave ripple with either 30 or 45 μm wavelength and with 0.5, 1, or 1.5 μm amplitude. Targets were irradiated with 4 ns long Nike KrF laser pulses at ∼50 TW/cm2. The oscillations were observed with our novel diagnostic technique, a monochromatic x-ray imager coupled to a streak camera. For the ablative RM instability (front side ripple), the mass modulation amplitude was typically observed to grow, reach a peak, and then decrease, after which the exponential RT growth started. In some cases, one phase reversal due to the ablative RM instability was observed. For the feedout geometry (rear side ripple), in all cases two phase reversals were observed: a distinct half-oscillation was followed by the onset of the RT growth, resulting in a second phase reversal

A scheme for reducing deceleration-phase Rayleigh–Taylor growth in inertial confinement fusion implosions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, L. F., E-mail: wang-lifeng@iapcm.ac.cn; Ye, W. H.; Liu, Jie [Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094 (China); HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Center for Fusion Energy Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing 100088 (China); Wu, J. F. [Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094 (China); Center for Fusion Energy Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing 100088 (China); Zhang, W. Y. [Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094 (China); He, X. T. [Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing 100094 (China); HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2016-05-15

It is demonstrated that the growth of acceleration-phase instabilities in inertial confinement fusion implosions can be controlled, especially in the high-foot implosions [O. A. Hurricane et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 056314 (2014)] on the National Ignition Facility. However, the excessive growth of the deceleration-phase instabilities can still destroy the hot spot ignition. A scheme is proposed to retard the deceleration-phase Rayleigh–Taylor instability growth by shock collision near the waist of the inner shell surface. Two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations confirm the improved deceleration-phase hot spot stability properties without sacrificing the fuel compression.

Rayleigh scattering under light-atom coherent interaction

OpenAIRE

Takamizawa, Akifumi; Shimoda, Koichi

2012-01-01

Semi-classical calculation of an oscillating dipole induced in a two-level atom indicates that spherical radiation from the dipole under coherent interaction, i.e., Rayleigh scattering, has a power level comparable to that of spontaneous emission resulting from an incoherent process. Whereas spontaneous emission is nearly isotropic and has random polarization generally, Rayleigh scattering is strongly anisotropic and polarized in association with incident light. In the case where Rabi frequen...

From Taylor series to Taylor models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berz, M.

1997-01-01

An overview of the background of Taylor series methods and the utilization of the differential algebraic structure is given, and various associated techniques are reviewed. The conventional Taylor methods are extended to allow for a rigorous treatment of bounds for the remainder of the expansion in a similarly universal way. Utilizing differential algebraic and functional analytic arguments on the set of Taylor models, arbitrary order integrators with rigorous remainder treatment are developed. The integrators can meet pre-specified accuracy requirements in a mathematically strict way, and are a stepping stone towards fully rigorous estimates of stability of repetitive systems. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Theory of current-driven instability experiments in magnetic Taylor-Couette flows.

Science.gov (United States)

Rüdiger, Günther; Schultz, Manfred; Shalybkov, Dima; Hollerbach, Rainer

2007-11-01

We consider the linear stability of dissipative magnetic Taylor-Couette flow with imposed toroidal magnetic fields. The inner and outer cylinders can be either insulating or conducting; the inner one rotates, the outer one is stationary. The magnetic Prandtl number can be as small as 10(-5) , approaching realistic liquid-metal values. The magnetic field destabilizes the flow, except for radial profiles of B(phi)(R) close to the current-free solution. The profile with B(in)=B(out) (the most uniform field) is considered in detail. For weak fields the Taylor-Couette flow is stabilized, until for moderately strong fields the m=1 azimuthal mode dramatically destabilizes the flow again so that a maximum value for the critical Reynolds number exists. For sufficiently strong fields (as measured by the Hartmann number) the toroidal field is always unstable, even for the nonrotating case with Re=0 . The electric currents needed to generate the required toroidal fields in laboratory experiments are a few kA if liquid sodium is used, somewhat more if gallium is used. Weaker currents are needed for wider gaps, so a wide-gap apparatus could succeed even with gallium. The critical Reynolds numbers are only somewhat larger than the nonmagnetic values; hence such experiments would work with only modest rotation rates.

Generation of superDreicer electric fields in the solar chromosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Zaitsev, V. V.; Kronshtadtov, P. V.; Stepanov, A. V.

2016-12-01

The electric field generation at the front of the current pulse, which originates in a coronal magnetic loop owing to the development of the Rayleigh-Taylor magnetic instability at loop footpoints, has been considered. During the τA ≈ l/V A ≈ 5-25 s time (where l is the plasma plume height entering a magnetic loop as a result of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability), a disturbance related to the magnetic field tension B ϕ( r,t), "escapes" the instability region with the Alfvén velocity in this case. As a result, an electric current pulse Iz( z - V A t), at the front of which an induction magnetic field E z, which is directed along the magnetic tube axis and can therefore accelerate particles, starts propagating along a magnetic loop with a characteristic scale of Δξ ≈ l. In the case of sufficiently large currents, when B ϕ 2/8π > p, an electric current pulse propagates nonlinearly, and a relatively large longitudinal electric field originates E z ≈ 2 I z 3 V A/ c 4a2Bz 2l, which can be larger than the Dreicer field, depending on the electric current value.

Synchrophasor-Assisted Prediction of Stability/Instability of a Power System

Science.gov (United States)

Saha Roy, Biman Kumar; Sinha, Avinash Kumar; Pradhan, Ashok Kumar

2013-05-01

This paper presents a technique for real-time prediction of stability/instability of a power system based on synchrophasor measurements obtained from phasor measurement units (PMUs) at generator buses. For stability assessment the technique makes use of system severity indices developed using bus voltage magnitude obtained from PMUs and generator electrical power. Generator power is computed using system information and PMU information like voltage and current phasors obtained from PMU. System stability/instability is predicted when the indices exceeds a threshold value. A case study is carried out on New England 10-generator, 39-bus system to validate the performance of the technique.

Nonlinear oscillation regime of electromagnetic disturbances in the equatorial F region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sazonov, S.V.

1990-01-01

Nonlinear oscillation regime of electromagnetic dicturbances within equatorial ionosphere F-region resulted from Rayleigh-Taylor instability, gradient-drift instability and recombination processes is investigated on the basis of two-liquid quasihydrodynamics equations. It is shown, that at positive linear increment the oscillations are developing in regime with aggregation and are terminated by increment the effect of threshold destabilization, when under certain initial conditions underlgoes oscillation nonlinear swinging, resulting, as well, in bubble formation in contrast to small damping oscillations, is detected

Feedback control and heat transfer measurements in a Rayleigh-Bénard convection cell

Science.gov (United States)

Vial, M.; Hernández, R. H.

2017-07-01

We report experimental results on the heat transfer and instability onset of a Rayleigh-Bénard convection cell of aspect ratios 6:3:1 filled with a high Prandtl aqueous solution of glycerol under feedback control. We investigate the transient and stationary response of both local temperature readings and heat transfer fluxes on the Rayleigh Bénard cell in both conductive and convective states when we perform two independent feedback control actions on both hot and cold walls. We evaluate the performance of both controllers to maintain a temperature gradient independently if the system is below or above the convection threshold. As the convection cell can be rotated at 180° about the shorter axis of the cell, it was possible to perform transitions between thermal conduction and convection regimes and vice versa under a constant temperature difference maintained by both independent controllers. The experimental setup provided an accurate measurement of the critical Rayleigh number and the evolution of the Nusselt number as a function of the Rayleigh number in the moderately supercritical regime (R a cellular convection pattern formed by 6 transverse rolls throughout the range of Rayleigh numbers.

Linear Analyses of Magnetohydrodynamic Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability in Cylindrical Geometry

KAUST Repository

Bakhsh, Abeer

2018-05-13

We investigate the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) that occurs when an incident shock impulsively accelerates the interface between two different fluids. RMI is important in many technological applications such as Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and astrophysical phenomena such as supernovae. We consider RMI in the presence of the magnetic field in converging geometry through both simulations and analytical means in the framework of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). In this thesis, we perform linear stability analyses via simulations in the cylindrical geometry, which is of relevance to ICF. In converging geometry, RMI is usually followed by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI). We show that the presence of a magnetic field suppresses the instabilities. We study the influence of the strength of the magnetic field, perturbation wavenumbers and other relevant parameters on the evolution of the RM and RT instabilities. First, we perform linear stability simulations for a single interface between two different fluids in which the magnetic field is normal to the direction of the average motion of the density interface. The suppression of the instabilities is most evident for large wavenumbers and relatively strong magnetic fields strengths. The mechanism of suppression is the transport of vorticity away from the density interface by two Alfv ́en fronts. Second, we examine the case of an azimuthal magnetic field at the density interface. The most evident suppression of the instability at the interface is for large wavenumbers and relatively strong magnetic fields strengths. After the shock interacts with the interface, the emerging vorticity breaks up into waves traveling parallel and anti-parallel to the magnetic field. The interference as these waves propagate with alternating phase causing the perturbation growth rate of the interface to oscillate in time. Finally, we propose incompressible models for MHD RMI in the presence of normal or azimuthal magnetic

Ekman-Hartmann layer in a magnetohydrodynamic Taylor-Couette flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Szklarski, Jacek; Rüdiger, Günther

2007-12-01

We study magnetic effects induced by rigidly rotating plates enclosing a cylindrical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Taylor-Couette flow at the finite aspect ratio HD=10 . The fluid confined between the cylinders is assumed to be liquid metal characterized by small magnetic Prandtl number, the cylinders are perfectly conducting, an axial magnetic field is imposed with Hartmann number Ha approximately 10 , and the rotation rates correspond to Reynolds numbers of order 10(2)-10(3). We show that the end plates introduce, besides the well-known Ekman circulation, similar magnetic effects which arise for infinite, rotating plates, horizontally unbounded by any walls. In particular, there exists the Hartmann current, which penetrates the fluid, turns in the radial direction, and together with the applied magnetic field gives rise to a force. Consequently, the flow can be compared with a Taylor-Dean flow driven by an azimuthal pressure gradient. We analyze the stability of such flows and show that the currents induced by the plates can give rise to instability for the considered parameters. When designing a MHD Taylor-Couette experiment, special care must be taken concerning the vertical magnetic boundaries so that they do not significantly alter the rotational profile.

78 FR 12307 - Taylor, G. Tom; Notice of Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ID-5705-001] Taylor, G. Tom; Notice of Filing Take notice that on February 14, 2013, G. Tom Taylor filed an application to hold interlocking positions pursuant to section 305(b) of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 825d(b), Part 45 of the...

Inversion of residual stress profiles from ultrasonic Rayleigh wave dispersion data

Science.gov (United States)

Mora, P.; Spies, M.

2018-05-01

We investigate theoretically and with synthetic data the performance of several inversion methods to infer a residual stress state from ultrasonic surface wave dispersion data. We show that this particular problem may reveal in relevant materials undesired behaviors for some methods that could be reliably applied to infer other properties. We focus on two methods, one based on a Taylor-expansion, and another one based on a piecewise linear expansion regularized by a singular value decomposition. We explain the instabilities of the Taylor-based method by highlighting singularities in the series of coefficients. At the same time, we show that the other method can successfully provide performances which only weakly depend on the material.

The structure concept in the description of mixing turbulence: the 2SFK model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llor, A.; Poujade, O.; Lardjane, N.

2009-01-01

To meet our modelling needs on turbulent flows produced by gravitational instabilities (of Rayleigh-Taylor or Richtmyer-Meshkov type), we have developed an original approach, designated as 2SFK for '2-structure, 2-fluid, 2-turbulent'. We provide the physical elements, theoretical, experimental, and numerical, which support this choice. A full description being out of question here, we give the principles of the model derivation, which hinges around an averaging conditioned by presence functions of the large structures in the flow, and discuss its distinctive properties compared to usual 'single-fluid' models. Numerical 1-dimension results on elementary flows illustrate the satisfactory behaviour of the model. All along this article, emphasis is given on the peculiar characteristics of turbulence in the Rayleigh-Taylor flow (possibly under variable acceleration): energy balance, characteristic size of large eddies, directed transport, enhanced diffusion, etc. (authors)

Design of ignition targets for the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haan, S.W.; Dittrich, T.R.; Marinak, M.M.; Hinkel, D.E.

1999-01-01

This is a brief update on the work being done to design ignition targets for the National Ignition Facility. Updates are presented on three areas of current activity : improvements in modeling, work on a variety of targets spanning the parameter space of possible ignition targets ; and the setting of specifications for target fabrication and diagnostics. Highlights of recent activity include : a simulation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth on an imploding capsule, done in 3D on a 72degree by 72degree wedge, with enough zones to resolve modes out to 100 ; and designs of targets at 250eV and 350eV, as well as the baseline 300 eV ; and variation of the central DT gas density, which influences both the Rayleigh-Taylor growth and the smoothness of the DT ice layer

Multiscale Modeling of Ionospheric Irregularities

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-22

numerical simulations of ionospheric plasma density structures associated with nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities in...model was developed to resolve the transport pat- terns of plasma density coupled with neutral atmospheric dynamics. Inclusion of neutral dynamics in...trapping electromagnetic (EM) waves in parabolic cavities, which are created by the refractive index gradients along the propagation paths. Keywords

Integrated code development for studying laser driven plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takabe, Hideaki; Nagatomo, Hideo; Sunahara, Atsusi; Ohnishi, Naofumi; Naruo, Syuji; Mima, Kunioki [Osaka Univ., Suita (Japan). Inst. of Laser Engineering

1998-03-01

Present status and plan for developing an integrated implosion code are briefly explained by focusing on motivation, numerical scheme and issues to be developed more. Highly nonlinear stage of Rayleigh-Taylor instability of ablation front by laser irradiation has been simulated so as to be compared with model experiments. Improvement in transport and rezoning/remapping algorithms in ILESTA code is described. (author)

Unitary theory of xenon instability in nuclear thermal reactors - 1. Reactor at 'zero power'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novelli, A.

1982-01-01

The question of nuclear thermal-reactor instability against xenon oscillations is widespread in the literature, but most theories, concerned with such an argument, contradict each other and, above all, they conflict with experimentally-observed instability at very low reactor power, i.e. without any power feedback. It is shown that, in any nuclear thermal reactor, xenon instability originates at very low power levels, and a very general stability condition is deduced by an extension of the rigorous, simple and powerful reduction of the Nyquist criterion, first performed by F. Storrer. (author)

Effects of laser energy fluence on the onset and growth of the Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities and its influence on the topography of the Fe thin film grown in pulsed laser deposition facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmood, S.; Rawat, R. S.; Wang, Y.; Lee, S.; Tan, T. L.; Springham, S. V.; Lee, P.; Zakaullah, M.

2012-01-01

The effect of laser energy fluence on the onset and growth of Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instabilities in laser induced Fe plasma is investigated using time-resolved fast gated imaging. The snow plow and shock wave models are fitted to the experimental results and used to estimate the ablation parameters and the density of gas atoms that interact with the ablated species. It is observed that RT instability develops during the interface deceleration stage and grows for a considerable time for higher laser energy fluence. The effects of RT instabilities formation on the surface topography of the Fe thin films grown in pulsed laser deposition system are investigated (i) using different laser energy fluences for the same wavelength of laser radiation and (ii) using different laser wavelengths keeping the energy fluence fixed. It is concluded that the deposition achieved under turbulent condition leads to less smooth deposition surfaces with bigger sized particle agglomerates or network.

Wavelength selection in the crown splash

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Li V.; Brunet, Philippe; Eggers, Jens; Deegan, Robert D.

2010-12-01

The impact of a drop onto a liquid layer produces a splash that results from the ejection and dissolution of one or more liquid sheets, which expand radially from the point of impact. In the crown splash parameter regime, secondary droplets appear at fairly regularly spaced intervals along the rim of the sheet. By performing many experiments for the same parameter values, we measure the spectrum of small-amplitude perturbations growing on the rim. We show that for a range of parameters in the crown splash regime, the generation of secondary droplets results from a Rayleigh-Plateau instability of the rim, whose shape is almost cylindrical. In our theoretical calculation, we include the time dependence of the base state. The remaining irregularity of the pattern is explained by the finite width of the Rayleigh-Plateau dispersion relation. Alternative mechanisms, such as the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, can be excluded for the experimental parameters of our study.

On the spreading and instability of gravity current fronts of arbitrary shape

Science.gov (United States)

Zgheib, N.; Bonometti, T.; Balachandar, S.

2012-11-01

Experiments, simulations and theoretical analysis were carried out to study the influence of geometry on the spreading of gravity currents. The horizontal spreading of three different intial planforms of initial release were investigated: an extended ellipse, a cross, and a circle. The experiments used a pulley system for a swift nearly instantaneous release. The case of the axisymmetric cylinder compared favorably with earlier simulations. We ran experiments for multiple aspect ratios for all three configurations. Perhaps the most intriguing of the three cases is the ``ellipse,'' which within a short period of release flipped the major and minor axes. This behavior cannot be captured by current theoretical methods (such as the Box Model). These cases have also been investigated using shallow water and direct numerical simulations. Also, in this study, we investigate the possibility of a Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability of the radially moving, but decelerating front. We present a simple theoretical framework based on the inviscid Shallow Water Equations. The theoretical results are supplemented and compared to highly resolved three-dimensional simulations with the Boussinesq approximation. Chateaubriand Fellowship - NSF PIRE grant OISE-0968313.

Bright and durable field emission source derived from refractory taylor cones

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsch, Gregory

2016-12-20

A method of producing field emitters having improved brightness and durability relying on the creation of a liquid Taylor cone from electrically conductive materials having high melting points. The method calls for melting the end of a wire substrate with a focused laser beam, while imposing a high positive potential on the material. The resulting molten Taylor cone is subsequently rapidly quenched by cessation of the laser power. Rapid quenching is facilitated in large part by radiative cooling, resulting in structures having characteristics closely matching that of the original liquid Taylor cone. Frozen Taylor cones thus obtained yield desirable tip end forms for field emission sources in electron beam applications. Regeneration of the frozen Taylor cones in-situ is readily accomplished by repeating the initial formation procedures. The high temperature liquid Taylor cones can also be employed as bright ion sources with chemical elements previously considered impractical to implement.

Nonlinear hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability for strong viscous fluids in porous media

CERN Document Server

El-Dib, Y O

2003-01-01

In the present work a weakly nonlinear stability for magnetic fluid is discussed. The research of an interface between two strong viscous homogeneous incompressible fluids through porous medium is investigated theoretically and graphically. The effect of the vertical magnetic field has been demonstrated in this study. The linear form of equation of motion is solved in the light of the nonlinear boundary conditions. The boundary value problem leads to construct nonlinear characteristic equation having complex coefficients in elevation function. The nonlinearity is kept to third-order expansion. The nonlinear characteristic equation leads to derive the well-known nonlinear Schroedinger equation. This equation having complex coefficients of the disturbance amplitude varies in both space and time. Stability criteria have been performed for nonlinear Chanderasekhar dispersion relation including the porous effects. Stability conditions are discussed through the assumption of equal kinematic viscosity. The calculati...

Reshocks, rarefactions, and the generalized Layzer model for hydrodynamic instabilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikaelian, K O

2008-06-10

We report numerical simulations and analytic modeling of shock tube experiments on Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities. We examine single interfaces of the type A/B where the incident shock is initiated in A and the transmitted shock proceeds into B. Examples are He/air and air/He. In addition, we study finite-thickness or double-interface A/B/A configurations like air/SF{sub 6}/air gas-curtain experiments. We first consider conventional shock tubes that have a 'fixed' boundary: A solid endwall which reflects the transmitted shock and reshocks the interface(s). Then we focus on new experiments with a 'free' boundary--a membrane disrupted mechanically or by the transmitted shock, sending back a rarefaction towards the interface(s). Complex acceleration histories are achieved, relevant for Inertial Confinement Fusion implosions. We compare our simulation results with a generalized Layzer model for two fluids with time-dependent densities, and derive a new freeze-out condition whereby accelerating and compressive forces cancel each other out. Except for the recently reported failures of the Layzer model, the generalized Layzer model and hydrocode simulations for reshocks and rarefactions agree well with each other, and remain to be verified experimentally.

2D radiation-magnetohydrodynamic simulations of SATURN imploding Z-pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammer, J.H.; Eddleman, J.L.; Springer, P.T.

1995-01-01

Z-pinch implosions driven by the SATURN device at Sandia National Laboratory are modeled with a 2D radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code, showing strong growth of magneto-Rayleigh Taylor (MRT) instability. Modeling of the linear and nonlinear development of MRT modes predicts growth of bubble-spike structures that increase the time span of stagnation and the resulting x-ray pulse width. Radiation is important in the pinch dynamics keeping the sheath relatively cool during the run-in and releasing most of the stagnation energy. The calculations give x-ray pulse widths and magnitudes in reasonable agreement with experiments, but predict a radiating region that is too dense and radially localized at stagnation. We also consider peaked initial density profiles with constant imploding sheath velocity that should reduce MRT instability and improve performance. 2D krypton simulations show an output x-ray power > 80 TW for the peaked profile

Enhancing Understanding of Magnetized High Energy Density Plasmas from Solid Liner Implosions Using Fluid Modeling with Kinetic Closures

Science.gov (United States)

Masti, Robert; Srinivasan, Bhuvana; King, Jacob; Stoltz, Peter; Hansen, David; Held, Eric

2017-10-01

Recent results from experiments and simulations of magnetically driven pulsed power liners have explored the role of early-time electrothermal instability in the evolution of the MRT (magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor) instability. Understanding the development of these instabilities can lead to potential stabilization mechanisms; thereby providing a significant role in the success of fusion concepts such as MagLIF (Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion). For MagLIF the MRT instability is the most detrimental instability toward achieving fusion energy production. Experiments of high-energy density plasmas from wire-array implosions have shown the requirement for more advanced physics modeling than that of ideal magnetohydrodynamics. The overall focus of this project is on using a multi-fluid extended-MHD model with kinetic closures for thermal conductivity, resistivity, and viscosity. The extended-MHD model has been updated to include the SESAME equation-of-state tables and numerical benchmarks with this implementation will be presented. Simulations of MRT growth and evolution for MagLIF-relevant parameters will be presented using this extended-MHD model with the SESAME equation-of-state tables. This work is supported by the Department of Energy Office of Science under Grant Number DE-SC0016515.

The physics of fast Z pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryutov, D.D.; Derzon, M.S.; Matzen, M.K.

1998-07-01

The spectacular progress made during the last few years in reaching high energy densities in fast implosions of annular current sheaths (fast Z pinches) opens new possibilities for a broad spectrum of experiments, from x-ray generation to controlled thermonuclear fusion and astrophysics. Presently Z pinches are the most intense laboratory X ray sources (1.8 MJ in 5 ns from a volume 2 mm in diameter and 2 cm tall). Powers in excess of 200 TW have been obtained. This warrants summarizes the present knowledge of physics that governs the behavior of radiating current-carrying plasma in fast Z-pinches. This survey covers essentially all aspects of the physics of fast Z pinches: initiation, instabilities of the early stage, magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the implosion phase, formation of a transient quasi-equilibrium near the stagnation point, and rebound. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of hydrodynamic instabilities governing the implosion symmetry. Possible ways of mitigating these instabilities are discussed. Non-magnetohydrodynamic effects (anomalous resistivity, generation of particle beams, etc.) are summarized. Various applications of fast Z pinches are briefly described. Scaling laws governing development of more powerful Z pinches are presented. The survey contains 52 figures and nearly 300 references

The Physics of Fast Z Pinches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

RYUTOV,D.D.; DERZON,MARK S.; MATZEN,M. KEITH

1999-10-25

The spectacular progress made during the last few years in reaching high energy densities in fast implosions of annular current sheaths (fast Z pinches) opens new possibilities for a broad spectrum of experiments, from x-ray generation to controlled thermonuclear fusion and astrophysics. Presently Z pinches are the most intense laboratory X ray sources (1.8 MJ in 5 ns from a volume 2 mm in diameter and 2 cm tall). Powers in excess of 200 TW have been obtained. This warrants summarizing the present knowledge of physics that governs the behavior of radiating current-carrying plasma in fast Z pinches. This survey covers essentially all aspects of the physics of fast Z pinches: initiation, instabilities of the early stage, magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the implosion phase, formation of a transient quasi-equilibrium near the stagnation point, and rebound. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of hydrodynamic instabilities governing the implosion symmetry. Possible ways of mitigating these instabilities are discussed. Non-magnetohydrodynamic effects (anomalous resistivity, generation of particle beams, etc.) are summarized. Various applications of fast Z pinches are briefly described. Scaling laws governing development of more powerful Z pinches are presented. The survey contains 36 figures and more than 300 references.

Flapping dynamics of a thin liquid sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Vadivukkarasan, M.; Kumaran, Dhivyaraja; Panchagnula, Mahesh; Multi-phase flow physics Group Team

2017-11-01

We attempt to delineate and describe the complete evolution of a thin soap film when air is blown through a nozzle in the normal direction. The sequence of events and its intrinsic dynamics are captured using high speed imaging. By careful observation, it was observed that multiple mechanisms occur in the same system and each event is triggered by an independent mechanism. The events include (a) flapping of a liquid sheet and pinching of the bubble, (b) onset of rupture on the liquid sheet, (c) formation of ligaments and (d) ejection of drops. From this study, it is shown that these events are predominantly governed by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, Taylor - Culick law, Rayleigh-Taylor instability and capillary instability, respectively. The present experiments can be considered as an extension to the previous studies on soap films as well as thin flapping sheets which has direct relevance to coaxial atomizers used in aircraft applications.

Observation of Magnetocoriolis Waves in a Liquid Metal Taylor-Couette Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nornberg, M. D.; Ji, H.; Schartman, E.; Roach, A.; Goodman, J.

2010-01-01

The first observation of fast and slow magnetocoriolis (MC) waves in a laboratory experiment is reported. Rotating nonaxisymmetric modes arising from a magnetized turbulent Taylor-Couette flow of liquid metal are identified as the fast and slow MC waves by the dependence of the rotation frequency on the applied field strength. The observed slow MC wave is damped but the observation provides a means for predicting the onset of the magnetorotational instability.

Observation of magnetocoriolis waves in a liquid metal Taylor-Couette experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nornberg, M D; Ji, H; Schartman, E; Roach, A; Goodman, J

2010-02-19

The first observation of fast and slow magnetocoriolis (MC) waves in a laboratory experiment is reported. Rotating nonaxisymmetric modes arising from a magnetized turbulent Taylor-Couette flow of liquid metal are identified as the fast and slow MC waves by the dependence of the rotation frequency on the applied field strength. The observed slow MC wave is damped but the observation provides a means for predicting the onset of the magnetorotational instability.

Taylor-Couette flow stability with toroidal magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shalybkov, D

2005-01-01

The linear stability of the dissipative Taylor-Couette flow with imposed azimuthal magnetic field is considered. Unlike to ideal flow, the magnetic field is fixed function of radius with two parameters only: a ratio of inner to outer cylinder radii and a ratio of the magnetic field values on outer and inner cylinders. The magnetic field with boundary values ratio greater than zero and smaller than inverse radii ratio always stabilizes the flow and called stable magnetic field below. The current free magnetic field is the stable magnetic field. The unstable magnetic field destabilizes every flow if the magnetic field (or Hartmann number) exceeds some critical value. This instability survives even without rotation (for zero Reynolds number). For the stable without the magnetic field flow, the unstable modes are located into some interval of the vertical wave numbers. The interval length is zero for critical Hartmann number and increases with increasing Hartmann number. The critical Hartmann numbers and the length of the unstable vertical wave numbers interval is the same for every rotation law. There are the critical Hartmann numbers for m = 0 sausage and m = 1 kink modes only. The critical Hartmann numbers are smaller for kink mode and this mode is the most unstable mode like to the pinch instability case. The flow stability do not depend on the magnetic Prandtl number for m = 0 mode. The same is true for critical Hartmann numbers for m = 0 and m = 1 modes. The typical value of the magnetic field destabilizing the liquid metal Taylor-Couette flow is order of 100 Gauss

Nonsnaking doubly diffusive convectons and the twist instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beaume, Cédric, E-mail: ced.beaume@gmail.com; Knobloch, Edgar, E-mail: knobloch@berkeley.edu [Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Bergeon, Alain, E-mail: alain.bergeon@imft.fr [Université de Toulouse, INPT, UPS, IMFT (Institut de Mécanique des Fluides de Toulouse), Allée Camille Soula, F-31400 Toulouse, France and CNRS, IMFT, F-31400 Toulouse (France)

2013-11-15

Doubly diffusive convection in a three-dimensional horizontally extended domain with a square cross section in the vertical is considered. The fluid motion is driven by horizontal temperature and concentration differences in the transverse direction. When the buoyancy ratio N = −1 and the Rayleigh number is increased the conduction state loses stability to a subcritical, almost two-dimensional roll structure localized in the longitudinal direction. This structure exhibits abrupt growth in length near a particular value of the Rayleigh number but does not snake. Prior to this filling transition the structure becomes unstable to a secondary twist instability generating a pair of stationary, spatially localized zigzag states. In contrast to the primary branch these states snake as they grow in extent and eventually fill the whole domain. The origin of the twist instability and the properties of the resulting localized structures are investigated for both periodic and no-slip boundary conditions in the extended direction.

Direct numerical simulation of interfacial instabilities: A consistent, conservative, all-speed, sharp-interface method

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chih-Hao; Deng, Xiaolong; Theofanous, Theo G.

2013-06-01

We present a conservative and consistent numerical method for solving the Navier-Stokes equations in flow domains that may be separated by any number of material interfaces, at arbitrarily-high density/viscosity ratios and acoustic-impedance mismatches, subjected to strong shock waves and flow speeds that can range from highly supersonic to near-zero Mach numbers. A principal aim is prediction of interfacial instabilities under superposition of multiple potentially-active modes (Rayleigh-Taylor, Kelvin-Helmholtz, Richtmyer-Meshkov) as found for example with shock-driven, immersed fluid bodies (locally oblique shocks)—accordingly we emphasize fidelity supported by physics-based validation, including experiments. Consistency is achieved by satisfying the jump discontinuities at the interface within a conservative 2nd-order scheme that is coupled, in a conservative manner, to the bulk-fluid motions. The jump conditions are embedded into a Riemann problem, solved exactly to provide the pressures and velocities along the interface, which is tracked by a level set function to accuracy of O(Δx5, Δt4). Subgrid representation of the interface is achieved by allowing curvature of its constituent interfacial elements to obtain O(Δx3) accuracy in cut-cell volume, with attendant benefits in calculating cell- geometric features and interface curvature (O(Δx3)). Overall the computation converges at near-theoretical O(Δx2). Spurious-currents are down to machine error and there is no time-step restriction due to surface tension. Our method is built upon a quadtree-like adaptive mesh refinement infrastructure. When necessary, this is supplemented by body-fitted grids to enhance resolution of the gas dynamics, including flow separation, shear layers, slip lines, and critical layers. Comprehensive comparisons with exact solutions for the linearized Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz problems demonstrate excellent performance. Sample simulations of liquid drops subjected to

Transition from flute modes to drift waves in a magnetized plasma column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brochard, F.; Gravier, E.; Bonhomme, G.

2005-01-01

Recent experiments performed on the low β plasma device Mirabelle [T. Pierre, G. Leclert, and F. Braun, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 58, 6 (1987)] using a limiter have shown that transitions between various gradient driven instabilities occurred on increasing the magnetic field strength. New thorough measurements allow to identify unambiguously three instability regimes. At low magnetic field the strong ExB velocity shear drives a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, whereas at high magnetic field drift waves are only observed. A centrifugal (Rayleigh-Taylor) instability is also observed in between when the ExB velocity is shearless and strong enough. A close connection is made between the ratio ρ s /L perpendicular of the drift parameter to the radial density gradient length and each instability regime