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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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)].

RAYLEIGH–TAYLOR UNSTABLE FLAMES—FAST OR FASTER?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hicks, E. P., E-mail: eph2001@columbia.edu

2015-04-20

Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) unstable flames play a key role in the explosions of supernovae Ia. However, the dynamics of these flames are still not well understood. RT unstable flames are affected by both the RT instability of the flame front and by RT-generated turbulence. The coexistence of these factors complicates the choice of flame speed subgrid models for full-star Type Ia simulations. Both processes can stretch and wrinkle the flame surface, increasing its area and, therefore, the burning rate. In past research, subgrid models have been based on either the RT instability or turbulence setting the flame speed. We evaluate bothmore » models, checking their assumptions and their ability to correctly predict the turbulent flame speed. Specifically, we analyze a large parameter study of 3D direct numerical simulations of RT unstable model flames. This study varies both the simulation domain width and the gravity in order to probe a wide range of flame behaviors. We show that RT unstable flames are different from traditional turbulent flames: they are thinner rather than thicker when turbulence is stronger. We also show that none of the several different types of turbulent flame speed models accurately predicts measured flame speeds. In addition, we find that the RT flame speed model only correctly predicts the measured flame speed in a certain parameter regime. Finally, we propose that the formation of cusps may be the factor causing the flame to propagate more quickly than predicted by the RT model.« less

Rayleigh-Taylor Unstable Flames -- Fast or Faster?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hicks, E. P.

2015-04-01

Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) unstable flames play a key role in the explosions of supernovae Ia. However, the dynamics of these flames are still not well understood. RT unstable flames are affected by both the RT instability of the flame front and by RT-generated turbulence. The coexistence of these factors complicates the choice of flame speed subgrid models for full-star Type Ia simulations. Both processes can stretch and wrinkle the flame surface, increasing its area and, therefore, the burning rate. In past research, subgrid models have been based on either the RT instability or turbulence setting the flame speed. We evaluate both models, checking their assumptions and their ability to correctly predict the turbulent flame speed. Specifically, we analyze a large parameter study of 3D direct numerical simulations of RT unstable model flames. This study varies both the simulation domain width and the gravity in order to probe a wide range of flame behaviors. We show that RT unstable flames are different from traditional turbulent flames: they are thinner rather than thicker when turbulence is stronger. We also show that none of the several different types of turbulent flame speed models accurately predicts measured flame speeds. In addition, we find that the RT flame speed model only correctly predicts the measured flame speed in a certain parameter regime. Finally, we propose that the formation of cusps may be the factor causing the flame to propagate more quickly than predicted by the RT model.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

A platform for studying the Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in a planar geometry at high energy density at the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagel, S. R.; Raman, K. S.; Huntington, C. M.; MacLaren, S. A.; Wang, P.; Barrios, M. A.; Baumann, T.; Bender, J. D.; Benedetti, L. R.; Doane, D. M.; Felker, S.; Fitzsimmons, P.; Flippo, K. A.; Holder, J. P.; Kaczala, D. N.; Perry, T. S.; Seugling, R. M.; Savage, L.; Zhou, Y.

2017-07-01

A new experimental platform has been developed at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) for studying the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities in a planar geometry at high-energy-densities. The platform uses 60 beams of the NIF laser to drive an initially solid shock tube containing a pre-machined interface between dense and light materials. The strong shock turns the initially solid target into a plasma and the material boundary into a fluid interface with the imprinted initial condition. The interface evolves by action of the RT and RM instabilities, and the growth is imaged with backlit x-ray radiography. We present our first data involving sinusoidal interface perturbations driven from the heavy side to the light side. Late-time radiographic images show the initial conditions reaching the deeply nonlinear regime, and an evolution of fine structure consistent with a transition to turbulence. We show preliminary comparisons with post-shot numerical simulations and discuss the implications for future campaigns.

Small-Amplitude Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability at a Re-Shocked Material Interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velikovich, A. L.; Zalesak, S. T.; Metzler, N.; Aglitskiy, Y.

2008-11-01

We report an exact small-amplitude theory of the Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability developing at a re-shocked material interface and favorably compare it to our simulations. The re-shock is seen to restart the classical RM instability growth from a larger initial amplitude, at a higher rate, and change its direction from heavy-to-light to light-to heavy and vice versa. Similarly, if a Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) unstable interface is strongly re-shocked from either the heavy or light fluid side, the fast RM growth is triggered. If a RT-unstable ablation front is re-shocked, it exhibits the ablative RM-instability, that is, low-frequency decaying oscillations [V. N. Goncharov, PRL 82, 2091 (1998); Y. Aglitskiy et al., PRL 87, 265001 (2001)]. This is predicted for colliding foil experiments on the Nike laser, where a RT-unstable ablation front is re-shocked by the strong shock wave produced in the collision of the laser-driven plastic foil with a stationary foam layer. The re-shock stops the acceleration and switches the perturbation evolution from the ablative RT to the ablative RM regime.

Experimental demonstration of laser imprint reduction using underdense foams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Delorme, B.; Casner, A.; CELIA, University of Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, F-33400 Talence

2016-04-15

Reducing the detrimental effect of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability on the target performance is a critical challenge. In this purpose, the use of targets coated with low density foams is a promising approach to reduce the laser imprint. This article presents results of ablative RT instability growth measurements, performed on the OMEGA laser facility in direct-drive for plastic foils coated with underdense foams. The laser beam smoothing is explained by the parametric instabilities developing in the foam and reducing the laser imprint on the plastic (CH) foil. The initial perturbation pre-imposed by the means of a specific phase plate wasmore » shown to be smoothed using different foam characteristics. Numerical simulations of the laser beam smoothing in the foam and of the RT growth are performed with a suite of paraxial electromagnetic and radiation hydrodynamic codes. They confirmed the foam smoothing effect in the experimental conditions.« less

Rayleigh-Taylor instability of two-specie laser-accelerated foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratliff, T. H.; Yi, S. A.; Khudik, V.; Yu, T. P.; Pukhov, A.; Chen, M.; Shvets, G.

2010-11-01

When an ultra intense circularly polarized laser pulse irradiates an ultra thin film, a monoenergetic ion beam is produced with characteristics well suited for applications in science and medicine. Upon laser incidence, the electrons in the foil are pushed via the ponderomotive force to the foil rear; the charge separation field then accelerates ions. In the accelerating frame the ions are trapped in a potential well formed by the electrostatic and inertial forces. However, their energy spectrum can be quickly degraded by the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability. Stabilization in the case of a two-specie foil is the subject of this poster. First, we use a 1D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation to establish an equilibrium state of the two-specie foil in the accelerating frame. Next we perturb this equilibrium and analytically investigate the 2D RT instability. Analytical results are compared with 2-D simulations. We also investigate parametrically various effects on the RT growth rate. The protons completely separate from the carbons, and although the vacuum-carbon interface remains unstable, the large spatial extent of the carbon layer prevents perturbations from feeding through to the proton layer. The monoenergetic proton beam is shown to persist beyond the conclusion of the laser pulse interaction. [1] T.P. Yu, A. Pukhov, G. Shvets, and M Chen, Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press)

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Lessons Learned from Numerical Simulations of Interfacial Instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Andrew

2015-11-01

Rayleigh-Taylor (RT), Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities serve as efficient mixing mechanisms in a wide variety of flows, from supernovae to jet engines. Over the past decade, we have used the Miranda code to temporally integrate the multi-component Navier-Stokes equations at spatial resolutions up to 29 billion grid points. The code employs 10th-order compact schemes for spatial derivatives, combined with 4th-order Runge-Kutta time advancement. Some of our major findings are as follows: The rate of growth of a mixing layer is equivalent to the net mass flux through the equi-molar plane. RT growth rates can be significantly reduced by adding shear. RT instability can produce shock waves. The growth rate of RM instability can be predicted from known interfacial perturbations. RM vortex projectiles can far outrun the mixing region. Thermal fluctuations in molecular dynamics simulations can seed instabilities along the braids in KH instability. And finally, enthalpy diffusion is essential in preserving the second law of thermodynamics. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Instability of the heliopause driven by charge exchange interactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Avinash, K.; Zank, G. P.; Dasgupta, B.

2014-08-20

The stability of the heliopause that separates the tenuous hot magnetized heliosheath plasma from the dense cool local interstellar magnetized plasma is examined using a fully general model that includes all the essential physical processes. Charge exchange coupling between plasma protons and primary interstellar neutral atoms provides an effective gravity that drives Rayleigh-Taylor (RT)-like instabilities. The velocity difference or shear between the heliosheath and interstellar flows, when coupled to energetic neutral atoms (ENAs), drives a Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH)-like instability on the heliopause. The shoulder region of the heliopause is unstable to a new instability that has characteristics of a mixed RT-KH-likemore » mode. The instabilities are not stabilized by typical values of the magnetic fields in the inner and outer heliosheath (OHS). ENAs play an essential role in driving the KH-like instability, which is fully stabilized in their absence by magnetic fields. The nonlinear phase of these instabilities is briefly discussed. We also discuss the possibility that RT-like or mixed KH-RT-like instabilities drag outer heliosheath/very local interstellar medium (OHS/VLISM) magnetic field lines into the inner heliosheath (IHS) with the VLISM flow, and the possibility that IHS and VLISM magnetic field lines experience reconnection. Such reconnection may (1) greatly enhance the mixing of plasmas across the heliopause and (2) provide open magnetic field lines that allow easy ingress of galactic cosmic rays into the heliosphere and corresponding easy loss of anomalous cosmic rays from the heliosphere.« less

Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities in Laser-Accelerated Colliding Foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aglitskiy, Y.; Metzler, N.; Karasik, M.; Serlin, V.; Weaver, J.; Obenschain, S. P.; Oh, J.; Schmitt, A. J.; Velikovich, A. L.; Zalesak, S. T.; Gardner, J. H.; Harding, E. C.

2008-11-01

In our experiments done on the Nike KrF laser, we study instability growth at shock-decelerated interfaces in planar colliding-foil experiments. We use streaked monochromatic (1.86 keV) x-ray face-on imaging diagnostics to measure the areal mass modulation growth caused by the instability. Higher x-ray energies up to 5.25 keV are used to follow the shock propagation as well as the 1D dynamics of the collision. While a laser-driven foil is accelerated towards the stationary low-density foam layer, an ablative RT instability develops. Having reached a high velocity, the foil hits the foam layer. The impact generates strong shocks in the plastic and in the foam. The reflected shock wave re-shocks the ablation front, its acceleration stops, and so does the observed RT growth. This is followed by areal mass oscillations due to the ablative RM instability and feedout mechanisms, of which the latter dominates.

Evolution of mixing width induced by general Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

PubMed

Zhang, You-Sheng; He, Zhi-Wei; Gao, Fu-Jie; Li, Xin-Liang; Tian, Bao-Lin

2016-06-01

Turbulent mixing induced by Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability occurs ubiquitously in many natural phenomena and engineering applications. As the simplest and primary descriptor of the mixing process, the evolution of mixing width of the mixing zone plays a notable role in the flows. The flows generally involve complex varying acceleration histories and widely varying density ratios, two dominant factors affecting the evolution of mixing width. However, no satisfactory theory for predicting the evolution has yet been established. Here a theory determining the evolution of mixing width in general RT flows is established to reproduce, first, all of the documented experiments conducted for diverse (i.e., constant, impulsive, oscillating, decreasing, increasing, and complex) acceleration histories and all density ratios. The theory is established in terms of the conservation principle, with special consideration given to the asymmetry of the volume-averaged density fields occurring in actual flows. The results reveal the sensitivity or insensitivity of the evolution of a mixing front of a neighboring light or heavy fluid to the degree of asymmetry and thus explain the distinct evolutions in two experiments with the same configurations.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

How high energy fluxes may affect Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth in young supernova remnants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuranz, C. C.; Park, H.-S.; Huntington, C. M.; Miles, A. R.; Remington, B. A.; Drake, R. P.; Tranthan, M. A.; Handy, T. A.; Shvarts, D.; Malamud, G.; Shimony, A.; Shvarts, D.; Kline, J.; Flippo, K. A.; Doss, F. W.; Plewa, T.

2017-10-01

Energy-transport effects can alter the structure that develops as a supernova evolves into a supernova remnant. The Rayleigh Taylor instability is thought to produce structure at the interface between the stellar ejecta and the circumstellar matter, based on simple models and hydrodynamic simulations. 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 to explore how large energy fluxes, which are present in supernovae such as SN 1993J, might affect this structure. We present data and simulations from Rayleigh-Taylor instability experiments in high- and low- energy flux experiments performed at the National Ignition Facility. We also will discuss the apparent, larger role of heat conduction when we closely examined the comparison between the experimental results, and the SNR observations and models. This work is funded by the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas, Grant Number DE-NA0002956.

Droplet formation at the non-equilibrium water/water (w/w) interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Youchuang; Mak, Sze Yi; Kong, Tiantian; Ding, Zijing; Shum, Ho Cheung

2017-11-01

The interfacial instability at liquid-liquid interfaces has been intensively studied in recent years due to their important role in nature and technology. Among them, two classic instabilities are Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and double diffusive (DD) instabilities, which are practically relevant to many industrial processes, such as geologic CO2 sequestration. Most experimental and theoretical works have focused on RT or DD instability in binary systems. However, the study of such instability in complex systems, such as non-equilibrium ternary systems that involves mass-transfer-induced phase separation, has received less attention. Here, by using a ternary system known as the aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), we investigate experimentally the behavior of non-equilibrium water/water (w/w) interfaces in a vertically orientated Hele-Shaw cell. We observe that an array of fingers emerge at the w/w interface, and then break into droplets. We explore the instability using different concentrations of two aqueous phases. Our experimental findings are expected to inspire the mass production of all-aqueous emulsions in a simple setup.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 induced flows can transition to turbulence. Both the spatial and temporal criteria to achieve the transition to turbulence have been examined. Finally, a description of the energy-containing scales in the mixing layers, including energy "injection" and cascade processes are presented in greater detail. Part II of this review is designed to provide a much broader and in-depth understanding of this critical area of research (Zhou, 2017. Physics Reports, 723-725, 1-160).

Turbulent mixing and beyond: non-equilibrium processes from atomistic to astrophysical scales II

PubMed Central

Abarzhi, S. I.; Gauthier, S.; Sreenivasan, K. R.

2013-01-01

This Introduction summarizes and provides a perspective on the papers representing one of the key themes of the ‘Turbulent mixing and beyond’ programme—the hydrodynamic instabilities of the Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer–Meshkov (RM) type and their applications in nature and technology. The collection is intended to present the reader a balanced overview of the theoretical, experimental and numerical studies of the subject and to assess what is firm in our knowledge of the RT and RM turbulent mixing. PMID:24146016

Comparing Split and Unsplit Numerical Methods for Simulating Low and High Mach Number Turbulent Flows in Xrage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saenz, Juan; Grinstein, Fernando; Dolence, Joshua; Rauenzahn, Rick; Masser, Thomas; Francois, Marianne; LANL Team

2017-11-01

We report progress in evaluating an unsplit hydrodynamic solver being implemented in the radiation adaptive grid Eulerian (xRAGE) code, and compare to a split scheme. xRage is a Eulerian hydrodynamics code used for implicit large eddy simulations (ILES) of multi-material, multi-physics flows where low and high Mach number (Ma) processes and instabilities interact and co-exist. The hydrodynamic solver in xRAGE uses a directionally split, second order Godunov, finite volume (FV) scheme. However, a standard, unsplit, Godunov-type FV scheme with 2nd and 3rd order reconstruction options, low Ma correction and a variety of Riemann solvers has recently become available. To evaluate the hydrodynamic solvers for turbulent low Ma flows, we use simulations of the Taylor Green Vortex (TGV), where there is a transition to turbulence via vortex stretching and production of small-scale eddies. We also simulate a high-low Ma shock-tube flow, where a shock passing over a perturbed surface generates a baroclinic Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI); after the shock has passed, the turbulence in the accelerated interface region resembles Rayleigh Taylor (RT) instability. We compare turbulence spectra and decay in simulated TGV flows, and we present progress in simulating the high-low Ma RMI-RT flow. LANL is operated by LANS LLC for the U.S. DOE NNSA under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Application of monotone integrated large eddy simulation to Rayleigh-Taylor mixing.

PubMed

Youngs, David L

2009-07-28

Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability occurs when a dense fluid rests on top of a light fluid in a gravitational field. It also occurs in an equivalent situation (in the absence of gravity) when an interface between fluids of different density is accelerated by a pressure gradient, e.g. in inertial confinement fusion implosions. Engineering models (Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes models) are needed to represent the effect of mixing in complex applications. However, large eddy simulation (LES) currently makes an essential contribution to understanding the mixing process and calibration or validation of the engineering models. In this paper, three cases are used to illustrate the current role of LES: (i) mixing at a plane boundary, (ii) break-up of a layer of dense fluid due to RT instability, and (iii) mixing in a simple spherical implosion. A monotone integrated LES approach is preferred because of the need to treat discontinuities in the flow, i.e. the initial density discontinuities or shock waves. Of particular interest is the influence of initial conditions and how this needs to be allowed for in engineering modelling. It is argued that loss of memory of the initial conditions is unlikely to occur in practical applications.

Multi-dimensional effects in radiation pressure acceleration of ions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tripathi, V. K., E-mail: tripathivipin@yahoo.co.in

A laser carries momentum. On reflection from an ultra-thin overdense plasma foil, it deposits recoil momentum on the foil, i.e. exerts radiation pressure on the foil electrons and pushes them to the rear. The space charge field thus created takes the ions along, accelerating the electron-ion double layer as a single unit. When the foil has surface ripple, of wavelength comparable to laser wavelength, the radiation pressure acts non-uniformly on the foil and the perturbation grows as Reyleigh-Taylor (RT) instability as the foil moves. The finite spot size of the laser causes foil to bend. These effects limit the quasi-monomore » energy acceleration of ions. Multi-ion foils, e.g., diamond like carbon foil embedded with protons offer the possibility of suppressing RT instability.« less

Multiscale Modeling of Ionospheric Irregularities

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-22

REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...Taylor (RT) instabilities, occurs in settings that are as varied as exploding stars (supernovae), inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and macroscopic...These global models, together with the large observational data sets that have been accu- mulated over the years, have led to a much greater under

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ye

2017-12-01

Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov(RM) instabilities are well-known pathways towards turbulent mixing layers, in many cases characterized by significant mass and species exchange across the mixing layers (Zhou, 2017. Physics Reports, 720-722, 1-136). Mathematically, the pathway to turbulent mixing requires that the initial interface be multimodal, to permit cross-mode coupling leading to turbulence. Practically speaking, it is difficult to experimentally produce a non-multi-mode initial interface. Numerous methods and approaches have been developed to describe the late, multimodal, turbulent stages of RT and RM mixing layers. This paper first presents the initial condition dependence of RT mixing layers, and introduces parameters that are used to evaluate the level of "mixedness" and "mixed mass" within the layers, as well as the dependence on density differences, as well as the characteristic anisotropy of this acceleration-driven flow, emphasizing some of the key differences between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional RT mixing layers. Next, the RM mixing layers are discussed, and differences with the RT mixing layer are elucidated, including the RM mixing layers dependence on the Mach number of the initiating shock. Another key feature of the RM induced flows is its response to a reshock event, as frequently seen in shock-tube experiments as well as inertial confinement events. A number of approaches to modeling the evolution of these mixing layers are then described, in order of increasing complexity. These include simple buoyancy-drag models, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes models of increased complexity, including K- ε, K-L, and K- L- a models, up to full Reynolds-stress models with more than one length-scale. Multifield models and multiphase models have also been implemented. Additional complexities to these flows are examined as well as modifications to the models to understand the effects of these complexities. These complexities include the presence of magnetic fields, compressibility, rotation, stratification and additional instabilities. The complications induced by the presence of converging geometries are also considered. Finally, the unique problems of astrophysical and high-energy-density applications, and efforts to model these are discussed.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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).

Taylor instability in rhyolite lava flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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.

A Validation Study of the Compressible Rayleigh–Taylor Instability Comparing the Ares and Miranda Codes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rehagen, Thomas J.; Greenough, Jeffrey A.; Olson, Britton J.

In this paper, the compressible Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instability is studied by performing a suite of large eddy simulations (LES) using the Miranda and Ares codes. A grid convergence study is carried out for each of these computational methods, and the convergence properties of integral mixing diagnostics and late-time spectra are established. A comparison between the methods is made using the data from the highest resolution simulations in order to validate the Ares hydro scheme. We find that the integral mixing measures, which capture the global properties of the RT instability, show good agreement between the two codes at this resolution.more » The late-time turbulent kinetic energy and mass fraction spectra roughly follow a Kolmogorov spectrum, and drop off as k approaches the Nyquist wave number of each simulation. The spectra from the highest resolution Miranda simulation follow a Kolmogorov spectrum for longer than the corresponding spectra from the Ares simulation, and have a more abrupt drop off at high wave numbers. The growth rate is determined to be between around 0.03 and 0.05 at late times; however, it has not fully converged by the end of the simulation. Finally, we study the transition from direct numerical simulation (DNS) to LES. The highest resolution simulations become LES at around t/τ ≃ 1.5. Finally, to have a fully resolved DNS through the end of our simulations, the grid spacing must be 3.6 (3.1) times finer than our highest resolution mesh when using Miranda (Ares).« less

A Validation Study of the Compressible Rayleigh–Taylor Instability Comparing the Ares and Miranda Codes

DOE PAGES

Rehagen, Thomas J.; Greenough, Jeffrey A.; Olson, Britton J.

2017-04-20

In this paper, the compressible Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instability is studied by performing a suite of large eddy simulations (LES) using the Miranda and Ares codes. A grid convergence study is carried out for each of these computational methods, and the convergence properties of integral mixing diagnostics and late-time spectra are established. A comparison between the methods is made using the data from the highest resolution simulations in order to validate the Ares hydro scheme. We find that the integral mixing measures, which capture the global properties of the RT instability, show good agreement between the two codes at this resolution.more » The late-time turbulent kinetic energy and mass fraction spectra roughly follow a Kolmogorov spectrum, and drop off as k approaches the Nyquist wave number of each simulation. The spectra from the highest resolution Miranda simulation follow a Kolmogorov spectrum for longer than the corresponding spectra from the Ares simulation, and have a more abrupt drop off at high wave numbers. The growth rate is determined to be between around 0.03 and 0.05 at late times; however, it has not fully converged by the end of the simulation. Finally, we study the transition from direct numerical simulation (DNS) to LES. The highest resolution simulations become LES at around t/τ ≃ 1.5. Finally, to have a fully resolved DNS through the end of our simulations, the grid spacing must be 3.6 (3.1) times finer than our highest resolution mesh when using Miranda (Ares).« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

A Platform for X-Ray Thomson Scattering Measurements of Radiation Hydrodynamics Experiments on the NIF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefevre, Heath; Ma, Kevin; Belancourt, Patrick; MacDonald, Michael; Doeppner, Tilo; Keiter, Paul; Kuranz, Carolyn

2017-10-01

A recent experiment on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) radiographed the evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability under high and low drive cases. This experiment showed that under a high drive the growth rate of the RT instability is reduced relative to the low drive case. The high drive launches a radiative shock, increases the temperature of the post-shock region, and ablates the spikes, which reduces the RT growth rate. The plasma parameters must be measured to validate this claim. We present a target design for making X-Ray Thomson Scattering (XRTS) measurements on radiation hydrodynamics experiments on NIF to measure the electron temperature of the shocked region in the above cases. Specifically, we show that a previously fielded NIF radiation hydrodynamics platform can be modified to allow sufficient signal and temperature resolution for XRTS measurements. This work is funded by the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas, Grant Number DE-NA0002956 and the National Science Foundation through the Basic Plasma Science and Engineering program.

Impact of Inner Surface Perturbations on the Stability of Cylindrical Liner Implosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weis, Matthew; Peterson, Kyle; Hess, Mark; Lau, Y. Y.; Zhang, Peng; Gilgenbach, Ronald

2015-11-01

This paper studies the effects of initial perturbations on the inner liner surface (ILS) of an imploding cylindrical liner. In MagLIF, nonuniform preheat of the fuel could provide an additional source of spatial nonuniformity on the ILS. A blast wave generated by the laser preheat might trigger the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RM) on the ILS which then serves as another seed to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RT) during the stagnation (deceleration) phase of the implosion. Another scenario is that the shock initiated from the outer liner surface, during current rise, propagates inward and is reflected at the ILS. This reflected shock would carry the initial ILS perturbations which then serve as an additional seed for the magneto-RT (MRT) during the acceleration phase of the implosion. These potentially dangerous interactions are analyzed using the 2D HYDRA code. The effects of axial magnetic fields, of the initial surface roughness spectrum, and of gas fill or water fill (to examine deceleration phase RT) are studied. M. R. Weis was supported by the Sandia National Laboratories. This work was also supported by DoE Grant DE-SC0012328.

A hybrid Rayleigh-Taylor-current-driven coupled instability in a magnetohydrodynamically collimated cylindrical plasma with lateral gravity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhai, Xiang, E-mail: xzhai@caltech.edu; Bellan, Paul M., E-mail: pbellan@caltech.edu

We present an MHD theory of Rayleigh-Taylor instability on the surface of a magnetically confined cylindrical plasma flux rope in a lateral external gravity field. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is found to couple to the classic current-driven instability, resulting in a new type of hybrid instability that cannot be described by either of the two instabilities alone. The lateral gravity breaks the axisymmetry of the system and couples all azimuthal modes together. The coupled instability, produced by combination of helical magnetic field, curvature of the cylindrical geometry, and lateral gravity, is fundamentally different from the classic magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurring atmore » a two-dimensional planar interface. The theory successfully explains the lateral Rayleigh-Taylor instability observed in the Caltech plasma jet experiment [Moser and Bellan, Nature 482, 379 (2012)]. Potential applications of the theory include magnetic controlled fusion, solar emerging flux, solar prominences, coronal mass ejections, and other space and astrophysical plasma processes.« less

NIF laboratory astrophysics simulations investigating the effects of a radiative shock on hydrodynamic instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angulo, A. A.; Kuranz, C. C.; Drake, R. P.; Huntington, C. M.; Park, H.-S.; Remington, B. A.; Kalantar, D.; MacLaren, S.; Raman, K.; Miles, A.; Trantham, Matthew; Kline, J. L.; Flippo, K.; Doss, F. W.; Shvarts, D.

2016-10-01

This poster will describe simulations based on results from ongoing laboratory astrophysics experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) relevant to the effects of radiative shock on hydrodynamically unstable surfaces. The experiments performed on NIF uniquely provide the necessary conditions required to emulate radiative shock that occurs in astrophysical systems. The core-collapse explosions of red supergiant stars is such an example wherein the interaction between the supernova ejecta and the circumstellar medium creates a region susceptible to Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instabilities. Radiative and nonradiative experiments were performed to show that R-T growth should be reduced by the effects of the radiative shocks that occur during this core-collapse. Simulations were performed using the radiation hydrodynamics code Hyades using the experimental conditions to find the mean interface acceleration of the instability and then further analyzed in the buoyancy drag model to observe how the material expansion contributes to the mix-layer growth. This work is funded by the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas under Grant Number DE-FG52-09NA29548.

Taylor instability in the shock layer on a Jovian atmosphere entry probe.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Compton, D. L.

1972-01-01

Investigation of the Taylor instability relative to the dynamical instability whose presence in the shock layer on a spacecraft entering the Jovian atmosphere is to be expected because of the difference in velocity across the shear layer. Presented calculations show that the Taylor instability at the interface between shock-heated freestream gas and ablation products is inconsequential in comparison to the shear layer instability.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability and mushroom-pattern formation in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sasaki, Kazuki; Suzuki, Naoya; Saito, Hiroki

2009-12-15

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the interface in an immiscible two-component Bose-Einstein condensate is investigated using the mean field and Bogoliubov theories. Rayleigh-Taylor fingers are found to grow from the interface and mushroom patterns are formed. Quantized vortex rings and vortex lines are then generated around the mushrooms. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability and mushroom-pattern formation can be observed in a trapped system.

LSWS linked with the low-latitude Es and its implications for the growth of the R-T instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, L. M.

2016-07-01

A comprehensive investigation of spread F irregularities over the Indian sector has been carried out using VHF radar and ionosonde observations. Two different categories of spread F observations, one where the onset of the range spread F (RSF) was concurrent with the peak h'F (category 1) and another where the RSF onset happened ~90 min after the peak h'F time (category 2), are presented. RSF in category 2 was preceded by the presence of oblique echoes in ionograms, indicating the irregularity genesis westward of Sriharikota. The average peak h'F in category 1 was ~30 km higher than that in category 2 indicating the presence of standing large-scale wave structure (LSWS). Occurrence of the blanketing Es during 19:30 to 20:30 Indian Standard Time in category 1 (category 2) was 0% (>50%). Model computation is also carried out to further substantiate the observational results. Model computation indicates that zonal variation of low-latitude Es can generate zonal modulation in the F layer height rise. It is found that the modulation of the F layer height, linked with the low-latitude Es, assists the equatorial spread F onset by modifying both the growth rate of the collisional Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability and also its efficiency. A predominant presence of low-latitude Es has been observed, but the increase in the F layer height and the R-T instability growth in the evening hours will maximize with complete absence of low-latitude Es. A new mechanism for the generation of LSWS and its implications on R-T instability is discussed.

Nonideal Rayleigh–Taylor mixing

PubMed Central

Lim, Hyunkyung; Iwerks, Justin; Glimm, James; Sharp, David H.

2010-01-01

Rayleigh–Taylor mixing is a classical hydrodynamic instability that occurs when a light fluid pushes against a heavy fluid. The two main sources of nonideal behavior in Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) mixing are regularizations (physical and numerical), which produce deviations from a pure Euler equation, scale invariant formulation, and nonideal (i.e., experimental) initial conditions. The Kolmogorov theory of turbulence predicts stirring at all length scales for the Euler fluid equations without regularization. We interpret mathematical theories of existence and nonuniqueness in this context, and we provide numerical evidence for dependence of the RT mixing rate on nonideal regularizations; in other words, indeterminacy when modeled by Euler equations. Operationally, indeterminacy shows up as nonunique solutions for RT mixing, parametrized by Schmidt and Prandtl numbers, in the large Reynolds number (Euler equation) limit. Verification and validation evidence is presented for the large eddy simulation algorithm used here. Mesh convergence depends on breaking the nonuniqueness with explicit use of the laminar Schmidt and Prandtl numbers and their turbulent counterparts, defined in terms of subgrid scale models. The dependence of the mixing rate on the Schmidt and Prandtl numbers and other physical parameters will be illustrated. We demonstrate numerically the influence of initial conditions on the mixing rate. Both the dominant short wavelength initial conditions and long wavelength perturbations are observed to play a role. By examination of two classes of experiments, we observe the absence of a single universal explanation, with long and short wavelength initial conditions, and the various physical and numerical regularizations contributing in different proportions in these two different contexts. PMID:20615983

Post-midnight equatorial irregularity distributions and vertical drift velocity variations during solstices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Angular Momentum Transport in Thin Magnetically Arrested Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Megan D.; Avara, Mark J.; McKinney, Jonathan C.

2018-05-01

In accretion disks with large-scale ordered magnetic fields, the magnetorotational instability (MRI) is marginally suppressed, so other processes may drive angular momentum transport leading to accretion. Accretion could then be driven by large-scale magnetic fields via magnetic braking, and large-scale magnetic flux can build-up onto the black hole and within the disk leading to a magnetically-arrested disk (MAD). Such a MAD state is unstable to the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability, which itself leads to vigorous turbulence and the emergence of low-density highly-magnetized bubbles. This instability was studied in a thin (ratio of half-height H to radius R, H/R ≈ 0.1) MAD simulation, where it has a more dramatic effect on the dynamics of the disk than for thicker disks. Large amounts of flux are pushed off the black hole into the disk, leading to temporary decreases in stress, then this flux is reprocessed as the stress increases again. Throughout this process, we find that the dominant component of the stress is due to turbulent magnetic fields, despite the suppression of the axisymmetric MRI and the dominant presence of large-scale magnetic fields. This suggests that the magnetic RT instability plays a significant role in driving angular momentum transport in MADs.

Magnetohydrodynamical Effects on Nuclear Deflagration Fronts in Type Ia Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hristov, Boyan; Collins, David C.; Hoeflich, Peter; Weatherford, Charles A.; Diamond, Tiara R.

2018-05-01

This article presents a study of the effects of magnetic fields on non-distributed nuclear burning fronts as a possible solution to a fundamental problem for the thermonuclear explosion of a Chandrasekhar mass ({M}Ch}) white dwarf (WD), the currently favored scenario for the majority of Type Ia SNe. All existing 3D hydrodynamical simulations predict strong global mixing of the burning products due to Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instabilities, which contradicts observations. As a first step toward studying the flame physics, we present a set of computational magnet-hydrodynamic models in rectangular flux tubes, resembling a small inner region of a WD. We consider initial magnetic fields up to {10}12 {{G}} of various orientations. We find an increasing suppression of RT instabilities starting at about {10}9 {{G}}. The front speed tends to decrease with increasing magnitude up to about {10}11 {{G}}. For even higher fields new small-scale, finger-like structures develop, which increase the burning speed by a factor of 3 to 4 above the field-free RT-dominated regime. We suggest that the new instability may provide sufficiently accelerated energy production during the distributed burning regime to go over the Chapman–Jougey limit and trigger a detonation. Finally, we discuss the possible origins of high magnetic fields during the final stage of the progenitor evolution or the explosion.

Rayleigh Taylor growth at an embedded interface driven by a radiative shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntington, Channing

2016-10-01

Radiative shocks are those where the radiation generated by the shock influences the hydrodynamics of the matter in the system. Radiative shocks are common in astrophysics, including during type II supernovae, and have also been observed in the rebound phase of a compressed inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule. It is predicted that the radiative heating serves to stabilize hydrodynamic instabilities in these systems, but studying the effect is challenging. Only in recent experiments at the National Ignition Facility has the energy been available to drive a radiative shock across a planar, Rayleigh-Taylor unstable interface in solid-density materials. Because the generation of radiation at the shock front is a strong function of shock velocity (v8) , the RT growth rates in the presence of fast and slow shockas were directly compared. We observe reduced RT spike development when the driving shock is expected to be radiative. Both low drive (225 eV) hydrodynamic RT growth and high drive (325 eV), radiatively-stabilized growth rates are in good agreement with 2D models. This NIF Discovery Science result has important implications for our understanding of astrophysical radiative shocks, as well as the dynamics of ICF capsules. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Numerical Simulation of Doped Targets for ICF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Lee; Gardner, John H.; Bodner, Stephen E.; Colombant, Denis; Klapisch, Marcel; Bar-Shalom, Avraham

1997-11-01

The ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability can be reduced by preheating the ablator, thereby reducing the peak density and increasing the mass ablation velocity. The ablator can be preheated with radiation from higher Z dopants.(Gardner, J.H., Bodner, S.E., Dahlburg, J.P., Phys. Fluids 3), 1070 (1991) Dopants also reduce the density gradient at the ablator, which provides a second mechanism to reduce the RT growth rate. We have recently developed a more sophisticated and detailed radiation package that uses opacities generated by an STA code, with non-LTE radiation transport based on the Busquet method. This radiation package has been incorporated into NRL's FAST2D radiation hydrodynamics code, which has been used to evaluate and optimize the use of various dopants that can provide interesting levels of preheat for an ICF target.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hicks, E. P.; Rosner, R., E-mail: eph2001@columbia.edu

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.more » 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.« less

The Destructive Birth of Massive Stars and Massive Star Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Anna; Krumholz, Mark; McKee, Christopher F.; Klein, Richard I.; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico

2017-01-01

Massive stars play an essential role in the Universe. They are rare, yet the energy and momentum they inject into the interstellar medium with their intense radiation fields dwarfs the contribution by their vastly more numerous low-mass cousins. Previous theoretical and observational studies have concluded that the feedback associated with massive stars' radiation fields is the dominant mechanism regulating massive star and massive star cluster (MSC) formation. Therefore detailed simulation of the formation of massive stars and MSCs, which host hundreds to thousands of massive stars, requires an accurate treatment of radiation. For this purpose, we have developed a new, highly accurate hybrid radiation algorithm that properly treats the absorption of the direct radiation field from stars and the re-emission and processing by interstellar dust. We use our new tool to perform a suite of three-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of the formation of massive stars and MSCs. For individual massive stellar systems, we simulate the collapse of massive pre-stellar cores with laminar and turbulent initial conditions and properly resolve regions where we expect instabilities to grow. We find that mass is channeled to the massive stellar system via gravitational and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities. For laminar initial conditions, proper treatment of the direct radiation field produces later onset of RT instability, but does not suppress it entirely provided the edges of the radiation-dominated bubbles are adequately resolved. RT instabilities arise immediately for turbulent pre-stellar cores because the initial turbulence seeds the instabilities. To model MSC formation, we simulate the collapse of a dense, turbulent, magnetized Mcl = 106 M⊙ molecular cloud. We find that the influence of the magnetic pressure and radiative feedback slows down star formation. Furthermore, we find that star formation is suppressed along dense filaments where the magnetic field is amplified. Our results suggest that the combined effect of turbulence, magnetic pressure, and radiative feedback from massive stars is responsible for the low star formation efficiencies observed in molecular clouds.

Centrifugally Driven Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scase, Matthew; Hill, Richard

2017-11-01

The instability that develops at the interface between two fluids of differing density due to the rapid rotation of the system may be considered as a limit of high-rotation rate Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Previously the authors have considered the effect of rotation on a gravitationally dominated Rayleigh-Taylor instability and have shown that some growth modes of instability may be suppressed completely by the stabilizing effect of rotation (Phys. Rev. Fluids 2:024801, Sci. Rep. 5:11706). Here we consider the case of very high rotation rates and a negligible gravitational field. The initial condition is of a dense inner cylinder of fluid surrounded by a lighter layer of fluid. As the system is rotated about the generating axis of the cylinder, the dense inner fluid moves away from the axis and the familiar bubbles and spikes of Rayleigh-Taylor instability develop at the interface. The system may be thought of as a ``fluid-fluid centrifuge''. By developing a model based on an Orr-Sommerfeld equation, we consider the effects of viscosity, surface tension and interface diffusion on the growth rate and modes of instability. We show that under particular circumstances some modes may be stabilized. School of Mathematical Sciences.

Hydrodynamic Instabilities in High-Energy-Density Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smalyuk, Vladimir

2016-10-01

Our understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities, such as the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT), Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM), and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities, in high-energy-density (HED) settings over past two decades has progressed enormously. The range of conditions where hydrodynamic instabilities are experimentally observed now includes direct and indirect drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) where surprises continue to emerge, linear and nonlinear regimes, classical interfaces vs. stabilized ablation fronts, tenuous ideal plasmas vs. high density Fermi degenerate plasmas, bulk fluid interpenetration vs. mixing down to the atomic level, in the presence of magnetic fields and/or intense radiation, and in solid state plastic flow at high pressures and strain rates. Regimes in ICF can involve extreme conditions of matter with temperatures up to kilovolts, densities of a thousand times solid densities, and time scales of nanoseconds. On the other hand, scaled conditions can be generated that map to exploding stars (supernovae) with length and time scales of millions of kilometers and hours to days or even years of instability evolution, planetary formation dynamics involving solid-state plastic flow which severely modifies the RT growth and continues to challenge reliable theoretical descriptions. This review will look broadly at progress in probing and understanding hydrodynamic instabilities in these very diverse HED settings, and then will examine a few cases in more depth to illustrate the detailed science involved. Experimental results on large-scale HED facilities such as the Omega, Nike, Gekko, and Shenguang lasers will be reviewed and the latest developments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and Z machine will be covered. Finally, current overarching questions and challenges will be summarized to motivate research directions for future. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Review of Inertial Confinement Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haines, M. G.

The physics of inertial confinement fusion is reviewed. The trend to short-wavelength lasers is argued, and the distinction between direct and indirect (soft X-ray) drive is made. Key present issues include the non-linear growth of Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instabilities, the seeding of this instability by the initial laser imprint, the relevance of self-generated magnetic fields, and the importance of parametric instabilities (stimulated Brillouin and Raman scattering) in gas-filled hohlraums. Experiments are reviewed which explore the R-T instability in both planar and converging geometry. The employment of various optical smoothing techniques is contrasted with the overcoating of the capsule by gold coated plastic foams to reduce considerably the imprint problem. The role of spontaneously generated magnetic fields in non-symmetric plasmas is discussed. Recent hohlraum compression results are presented together with gas bag targets which replicate the long-scale-length low density plasmas expected in NIF gas filled hohlraums. The onset of first Brillouin and then Raman scattering is observed. The fast ignitor scheme is a proposal to use an intense short pulse laser to drill a hole through the coronal plasma and then, with laser excited fast electrons, create a propagating thermonuclear spark in a dense, relatively cold laser-compressed target. Some preliminary results of laser hole drilling and 2-D and 3-D PIC simulations of this and the > 10^8 Gauss self-generated magnetic fields are presented. The proposed National Ignition Facility (NIF) is described.

Elimination of Gravity Influence on Flame Propagation Via Enhancement of the Saffman-Taylor Instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldredge, R. C.

2003-01-01

In this analytical work the influence of the Saffman-Taylor instability on flame propagation is formulated for computational investigation. Specifically, it is of interest to examine the influence of this instability as a potential means of eliminating the effect of gravitational acceleration on the development of thermoacoustic instability. Earlier experimental investigations of thermoacoustic instability employed tubes of large circular or annular cross-section, such that neither heat loss nor viscosity at the burner walls was of significant importance in influencing flame behavior. However, it has been demonstrated recently that flames propagating between closely spaced walls, may be subject to long-wavelength wrinkling associated with the Saffman-Taylor instability, known to be relevant when a less-viscous fluid pushes a more-viscous fluid through a porous medium or between two closely spaced walls.

Indirect drive ignition at the National Ignition Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meezan, N. B.; Edwards, M. J.; Hurricane, O. A.

This article reviews scientific results from the pursuit of indirect drive ignition on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and describes the program's forward looking research directions. In indirect drive on the NIF, laser beams heat an x-ray enclosure called a hohlraum that surrounds a spherical pellet. X-ray radiation ablates the surface of the pellet, imploding a thin shell of deuterium/tritium (DT) that must accelerate to high velocity (v > 350 km s -1) and compress by a factor of several thousand. Since 2009, substantial progress has been made in understanding the major challenges to ignition: Rayleigh Taylor (RT) instability seededmore » by target imperfections; and low-mode asymmetries in the hohlraum x-ray drive, exacerbated by laser-plasma instabilities (LPI). Requirements on velocity, symmetry, and compression have been demonstrated separately on the NIF but have not been achieved simultaneously. We now know that the RT instability, seeded mainly by the capsule support tent, severely degraded DT implosions from 2009–2012. Experiments using a 'high-foot' drive with demonstrated lower RT growth improved the thermonuclear yield by a factor of 10, resulting in yield amplification due to alpha particle heating by more than a factor of 2. However, large time dependent drive asymmetry in the LPI-dominated hohlraums remains unchanged, preventing further improvements. High fidelity 3D hydrodynamic calculations explain these results. In conclusion, future research efforts focus on improved capsule mounting techniques and on hohlraums with little LPI and controllable symmetry. In parallel, we are pursuing improvements to the basic physics models used in the design codes through focused physics experiments.« less

Indirect drive ignition at the National Ignition Facility

DOE PAGES

Meezan, N. B.; Edwards, M. J.; Hurricane, O. A.; ...

2016-10-27

This article reviews scientific results from the pursuit of indirect drive ignition on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and describes the program's forward looking research directions. In indirect drive on the NIF, laser beams heat an x-ray enclosure called a hohlraum that surrounds a spherical pellet. X-ray radiation ablates the surface of the pellet, imploding a thin shell of deuterium/tritium (DT) that must accelerate to high velocity (v > 350 km s -1) and compress by a factor of several thousand. Since 2009, substantial progress has been made in understanding the major challenges to ignition: Rayleigh Taylor (RT) instability seededmore » by target imperfections; and low-mode asymmetries in the hohlraum x-ray drive, exacerbated by laser-plasma instabilities (LPI). Requirements on velocity, symmetry, and compression have been demonstrated separately on the NIF but have not been achieved simultaneously. We now know that the RT instability, seeded mainly by the capsule support tent, severely degraded DT implosions from 2009–2012. Experiments using a 'high-foot' drive with demonstrated lower RT growth improved the thermonuclear yield by a factor of 10, resulting in yield amplification due to alpha particle heating by more than a factor of 2. However, large time dependent drive asymmetry in the LPI-dominated hohlraums remains unchanged, preventing further improvements. High fidelity 3D hydrodynamic calculations explain these results. In conclusion, future research efforts focus on improved capsule mounting techniques and on hohlraums with little LPI and controllable symmetry. In parallel, we are pursuing improvements to the basic physics models used in the design codes through focused physics experiments.« less

Study of the Reynolds Number Effect on the Process of Instability Transition Into the Turbulent Stage.

PubMed

Nevmerzhitskiy, N V; Sotskov, E A; Sen'kovskiy, E D; Krivonos, O L; Polovnikov, A A; Levkina, E V; Frolov, S V; Abakumov, S A; Marmyshev, V V

2014-09-01

The results of the experimental study of the Reynolds number effect on the process of the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability transition into the turbulent stage are presented. The experimental liquid layer was accelerated by compressed gas. Solid particles were scattered on the layer free surface to specify the initial perturbations in some experiments. The process was recorded with the use of a high-speed motion picture camera. The following results were obtained in experiments: (1) Long-wave perturbation is developed at the interface at the Reynolds numbers Re < 10 4 . If such perturbation growth is limited by a hard wall, the jet directed in gas is developed. If there is no such limitation, this perturbation is resolved into the short-wave ones with time, and their growth results in gas-liquid mixing. (2) Short-wave perturbations specified at the interface significantly reduce the Reynolds number Re for instability to pass into the turbulent mixing stage.

Supersonic shear flows in laser driven high-energy-density plasmas created by the Nike laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2008-11-01

In high-energy-density (HED) plasmas the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability plays an important role in the evolution of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) unstable interfaces, as well as material interfaces that experience the passage one or multiple oblique shocks. Despite the potentially important role of the KH instability few experiments have been carried out to explore its behavior in the high-energy-density regime. We report on the evolution of a supersonic shear flow that is generated by the release of a high velocity (>100 km/s) aluminum plasma onto a CRF foam (ρ = 0.1 g/cc) surface. In order to seed the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability various two-dimensional sinusoidal perturbations (λ = 100, 200, and 300 μm with peak-to-valley amplitudes of 10, 20, and 30 μm respectively) have been machined into the foam surface. This experiment was performed using the Nike laser at the Naval Research Laboratory.

Evolution of the single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability under the influence of time-dependent accelerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramaprabhu, P.; Karkhanis, V.; Banerjee, R.; Varshochi, H.; Khan, M.; Lawrie, A. G. W.

2016-01-01

From nonlinear models and direct numerical simulations we report on several findings of relevance to the single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability driven by time-varying acceleration histories. The incompressible, direct numerical simulations (DNSs) were performed in two (2D) and three dimensions (3D), and at a range of density ratios of the fluid combinations (characterized by the Atwood number). We investigated several acceleration histories, including acceleration profiles of the general form g (t ) ˜tn , with n ≥0 and acceleration histories reminiscent of the linear electric motor experiments. For the 2D flow, results from numerical simulations compare well with a 2D potential flow model and solutions to a drag-buoyancy model reported as part of this work. When the simulations are extended to three dimensions, bubble and spike growth rates are in agreement with the so-called level 2 and level 3 models of Mikaelian [K. O. Mikaelian, Phys. Rev. E 79, 065303(R) (2009), 10.1103/PhysRevE.79.065303], and with corresponding 3D drag-buoyancy model solutions derived in this article. Our generalization of the RT problem to study variable g (t ) affords us the opportunity to investigate the appropriate scaling for bubble and spike amplitudes under these conditions. We consider two candidates, the displacement Z and width s2, but find the appropriate scaling is dependent on the density ratios between the fluids—at low density ratios, bubble and spike amplitudes are explained by both s2 and Z , while at large density differences the displacement collapses the spike data. Finally, for all the acceleration profiles studied here, spikes enter a free-fall regime at lower Atwood numbers than predicted by all the models.

Richtmyer-Meshkov instability of a sinusoidal interface driven by a cylindrical shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, L.; Ding, J.; Zhai, Z.; Luo, X.

2018-04-01

Evolution of a single-mode interface triggered by a cylindrically converging shock in a V-shaped geometry is investigated numerically using an adaptive multi-phase solver. Several physical mechanisms, including the Bell-Plesset (BP) effect, the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) effect, the nonlinearity, and the compressibility are found to be pronounced in the converging environment. Generally, the BP and nonlinear effects play an important role at early stages, while the RT effect and the compressibility dominate the late-stage evolution. Four sinusoidal interfaces with different initial amplitudes (a_0 ) and wavelengths (λ ) are found to evolve differently in the converging geometry. For the very small a_0 /λ interfaces, nonlinearity is negligible at the early stages and the sole presence of the BP effect results in an increasing growth rate, confining the linear growth of the instability to a relatively small amount of time. For the moderately small a_0 /λ cases, the BP and nonlinear effects, which, respectively, promote and inhibit the perturbation development, coexist in the early stage. The counterbalancing effects between them produce a very long period of growth that is linear in time, even to a moment when the amplitude over wavelength ratio approaches 0.6. The RT stabilization effect at late stages due to the interface deceleration significantly inhibits the perturbation growth, which can be reasonably predicted by a modified Bell model.

Achieving Stable Radiation Pressure Acceleration of Heavy Ions via Successive Electron Replenishment from Ionization of a High-Z Material Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Bin; Shen, X. F.; Zhang, H.; Kar, S.; Zhou, C. T.; Chang, H. X.; Borghesi, M.; He, X. T.

2017-10-01

Among various laser-driven acceleration schemes, radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) is regarded as one of the most promising schemes to obtain high-quality ion beams. Although RPA is very attractive in principle, it is difficult to be achieved experimentally. One of the most important reasons is the dramatic growth of the multi-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor-like (RT) instabilities. In this talk, we report a novel method to achieve stable RPA of ions from laser-irradiated ultrathin foils, where a high-Z material coating in front is used. The coated high-Z material, acting as a moving electron repository, continuously replenishes the accelerating ion foil with comoving electrons in the light-sail acceleration stage due to its successive ionization under laser fields with Gaussian temporal profile. As a result, the detrimental effects such as electron loss induced by the RT and other instabilities are significantly offset and suppressed so that stable acceleration of ions are maintained. Supported by the NSAF, Grant No. U1630246; the NNSF China Grants No. 11575298; and the National Key Program of S&T Research and Development, Grant No. 2016YFA0401100.

Achieving Stable Radiation Pressure Acceleration of Heavy Ions via Successive Electron Replenishment from Ionization of a High-Z Material Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, X. F.; Qiao, B.; Chang, H. X.; Kar, S.; Zhou, C. T.; Borghesi, M.; He, X. T.

2016-10-01

Generation of monoenergetic heavy ion beams aroused more scientific interest in recent years. Radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) is an ideal mechanism for obtaining high-quality heavy ion beams, in principle. However, to achieve the same energy per nucleon (velocity) as protons, heavy ions undergo much more serious Rayleigh-Taylor-like (RT) instability and afterwards much worse Coulomb explosion due to loss of co-moving electrons. This leads to premature acceleration termination of heavy ions and very low energy attained in experiment. The utilization of a high-Z coating in front of the target may suppress the RT instability and Coulomb explosion by continuously replenishing the accelerating heavy ion foil with co-moving electrons due to its successive ionization under laser fields with Gaussian temporal and spatial profiles. Thus stable RPA can be realized. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional particles-in-cell simulations with dynamic ionization show that a monoenergetic Al13+ beam with peak energy 4.0GeV and particle number 1010 (charge > 20nC) can be obtained at intensity 1022 W/cm2. Supported by the NSF, Nos. 11575298 and 1000-Talents Program of China.

Finite Atwood Number Effects on Deceleration-Phase Instability in Room-Temperature Direct-Drive Implosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, S.; Knauer, J. P.; Radha, P. B.; Goncharov, V. N.

2017-10-01

Performance degradation in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions can be caused by several effects, one of which is Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth during the deceleration phase. In room-temperature plastic target implosions, this deceleration-phase RT growth is enhanced by the density discontinuity and finite Atwood numbers at the fuel-pusher interface. For the first time, an experimental campaign at the Omega Laser Facility systematically varied the ratio of deuterium-to-tritium (D-to-T) within the DT gas fill to change the Atwood number. The goal of the experiment was to understand the effects of Atwood number variation on observables like apparent ion temperature, yield, and variations in areal density and bulk fluid motion, which lead to broadening of neutron spectra along different lines of sight. Simulations by the hydrodynamic codes LILAC and DRACO were used to study growth rates for different D-to-T ratios and identify observable quantities effected by Atwood number variation. Results from simulations and the experiment are presented. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number DE-NA0001944.

Some observations of a sheared Rayleigh-Taylor/Benard instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Humphrey, J. A. C.; Marcus, D. L.

1987-01-01

An account is provided of preliminary flow visualization observations made in an unstably stratified flow with shear superimposed. The structures observed appear to be the superposition of a Rayleigh-Taylor/Benard instability and a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. Aside from its intrinsic fundamental value, the study of these structures is of special interest to theoreticians developing nonlinear stability calculation methodologies.

Viscoelastic Taylor-Couette instability as analog of the magnetorotational instability.

PubMed

Bai, Yang; Crumeyrolle, Olivier; Mutabazi, Innocent

2015-09-01

A linear stability analysis and an experimental study of a viscoelastic Taylor-Couette flow corotating in the Keplerian ratio allow us to elucidate the analogy between the viscoelastic instability and the magnetorotational instability (MRI). A generalized Rayleigh criterion allows us to determine the potentially unstable zone to pure-elasticity-driven perturbations. Experiments with a viscoelastic polymer solution yield four modes: one pure-elasticity mode and three elastorotational instability (ERI) modes that represent the MRI-analog modes. The destabilization by the polymer viscosity is evidenced for the ERI modes.

Experimental Evidence for Magnetorotational Instability in a Taylor-Couette Flow under the Influence of a Helical Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefani, Frank; Gundrum, Thomas; Gerbeth, Gunter; Rüdiger, Günther; Schultz, Manfred; Szklarski, Jacek; Hollerbach, Rainer

2006-11-01

A recent Letter [R. Hollerbach and G. Rüdiger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 124501 (2005)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.95.124501] has shown that the threshold for the onset of the magnetorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette flow is dramatically reduced if both axial and azimuthal magnetic fields are imposed. In agreement with this prediction, we present results of a Taylor-Couette experiment with the liquid metal alloy GaInSn, showing evidence for the existence of the magnetorotational instability at Reynolds numbers of order 1000 and Hartmann numbers of order 10.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability-fascinating gateway to the study of fluid dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjamin, Robert F.

1999-09-01

A series of low-cost simple, "kitchen-physics" experiments demonstrates Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI), the growth of ripples at an interface between fluids when the higher-density fluid is on top. We also describe the importance of RTI in ocean dynamics and commercial products.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, Colin Stuart

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 predictionsmore » 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.« less

Dynamic stabilization of classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

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

2011-09-15

Dynamic stabilization of classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability is studied by modeling the interface vibration with the simplest possible wave form, namely, a sequence of Dirac deltas. As expected, stabilization results to be impossible. However, in contradiction to previously reported results obtained with a sinusoidal driving, it is found that in general the perturbation amplitude is larger than in the classical case. Therefore, no beneficial effect can be obtained from the vertical vibration of a Rayleigh-Taylor unstable interface between two ideal fluids.

Connections between centrifugal, stratorotational, and radiative instabilities in viscous Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leclercq, Colin; Nguyen, Florian; Kerswell, Rich R.

2016-10-01

The "Rayleigh line" μ =η2 , where μ =Ωo/Ωi and η =ri/ro are respectively the rotation and radius ratios between inner (subscript i ) and outer (subscript o ) cylinders, is regarded as marking the limit of centrifugal instability (CI) in unstratified inviscid Taylor-Couette flow, for both axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric modes. Nonaxisymmetric stratorotational instability (SRI) is known to set in for anticyclonic rotation ratios beyond that line, i.e., η2<μ <1 for axially stably stratified Taylor-Couette flow, but the competition between CI and SRI in the range μ <η2 has not yet been addressed. In this paper, we establish continuous connections between the two instabilities at finite Reynolds number Re, as previously suggested by Le Bars and Le Gal [Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 064502 (2007), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.064502], making them indistinguishable at onset. Both instabilities are also continuously connected to the radiative instability at finite Re. These results demonstrate the complex impact viscosity has on the linear stability properties of this flow. Several other qualitative differences with inviscid theory were found, among which are the instability of a nonaxisymmetric mode localized at the outer cylinder without stratification and the instability of a mode propagating against the inner cylinder rotation with stratification. The combination of viscosity and stratification can also lead to a "collision" between (axisymmetric) Taylor vortex branches, causing the axisymmetric oscillatory state already observed in past experiments. Perhaps more surprising is the instability of a centrifugal-like helical mode beyond the Rayleigh line, caused by the joint effects of stratification and viscosity. The threshold μ =η2 seems to remain, however, an impassable instability limit for axisymmetric modes, regardless of stratification, viscosity, and even disturbance amplitude.

Mathematical model of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities for viscoelastic fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rollin, Bertrand; Andrews, Malcolm J.

2011-04-01

We extended the Goncharov model [V. N. Goncharov, Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.88.134502 88, 134502 (2002)] for nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability of perfect fluids to the case of Rivlin-Ericksen viscoelastic fluids [R. S. Rivlin and J. L. Ericksen, Rat. Mech. Anal. 4, 323 (1955)], with surface tension. For Rayleigh-Taylor instability, viscosity, surface tension, and viscoelasticity decrease the exponential growth rate predicted by linear stability analysis. In particular, we find that viscosity and surface tension decrease the terminal bubble velocity, whereas viscoelasticity is found to have no effect. All three properties increase the saturation height of the bubble. In Richmyer-Meshkov instability, the decay of the asymptotic velocity depends on the balance between viscosity and surface tension, and viscoelasticity tends to slow the asymptotic velocity decay.

Instability of Taylor-Sedov blast waves propagating through a uniform gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grun, J.; Stamper, J.; Manka, C.; Resnick, J.; Burris, R.; Crawford, J.; Ripin, B. H.

1991-05-01

An instability in Taylor-Sedov blast waves was measured as the waves propagated through a uniform gas with a low adiabatic index. The first measurements of the instability are given and compared to theoretical predictions. The classical Taylor-Sedov blast waves resulted from the expansion of ablation plasma into an ambient gas from laser-irradiated foils, and photographs were taken using the dark-field imaging method. Visible emission from the blasts were recorded with a four-frame microchannel-plate intensifier camera. Blast waves formed in nitrogen gas are shown to be stable and smooth, whereas the waves propagating through xenon gas are found to be unstable and wrinkled. A power law is fitted to the experimental data, and the adiabatic indices are theorized to cause the different responses in the two gases. The results generally agree with theoretical predictions in spite of some minor discrepancies, and an explanation of the instability mechanism is developed. When the adiabatic index is sufficiently low, the Taylor-Sedov blast waves in a uniform gas will be unstable, and the perturbed amplitudes will grow as a power of time.

Numerical simulation for a vortex street near the poleward boundary of the nighttime auroral oval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, T.

2012-02-01

The formation of a vortex street is numerically studied as an aftermath of a transient (≈1 min) depression of the energy density of injected particles. It is basically assumed that the kinetic energies of auroral particles are substantially provided by nonadiabatic acceleration in the tail current sheet. One of the causes of such energy density depression is an outward (away from the Earth) movement of the neutral line because in such situation, a particle passes the acceleration zone for a shorter time interval while it is inwardly transported in the current sheet. The numerical simulation shows that a long chain of many (≥5) vortices can be formed in the nighttime high-latitude auroral oval as a result of the hybrid Kelvin-Helmholtz/Rayleigh-Taylor (KH/RT) instability. The main characteristics of long vortex chains in the simulation such as the short lifetime (≲2 min) and the correlation between wavelength, λ, and arc system width, A, compare well with those of the periodic auroral distortions observed primarily in the high-latitude auroral oval. Specifically, either λ-A relationship from simulation or observation shows a positive correlation between λ and A but with considerable dispersion in λ. Since auroral vortices arising from the hybrid KH/RT instability are not accompanied by significant rotational motions, the magnetic shear instability caused by undulations in the field-aligned current (FAC) sheet could turn the vortices into spirals which wind or unwind in response to increase or decrease of FACs, respectively.

Coupled Hydrodynamic Instability Growth on Oblique Interfaces with a Reflected Rarefaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmus, A. M.; Flippo, K. A.; di Stefano, C. A.; Doss, F. W.; Hager, J. D.; Merritt, E. C.; Cardenas, T.; Schmidt, D. W.; Kline, J. L.; Kuranz, C. C.

2017-10-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities play an important role in the evolution of inertial confinement fusion and astrophysical phenomena. Three of the Omega-EP long pulse beams (10 ns square pulse, 14 kJ total energy, 1.1 mm spot size) drive a supported shock across a heavy-to-light, oblique, interface. Single- and double-mode initial conditions seed coupled Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM), Rayleigh-Taylor (RT), and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) growth. At early times, growth is dominated by RM and KH, whereas at late times a rarefaction from laser turn-off reaches the interface, leading to decompression and RT growth. The addition of a thirty degree tilt does not alter mix width to within experimental error bars, even while significantly altering spike and bubble morphology. The results of single and double-mode experiments along with simulations using the multi-physics hydro-code RAGE will be presented. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by LANL under contract DE-AC52-06NA25396. This work is funded by the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas, Grant Number DE-NA0002956. This material is partially supported by DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program.

Rayleigh-Taylor mixing with time-dependent acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Rayleigh-Taylor mixing with space-dependent acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Hard X-Ray Burst Detected From Caltech Plasma Jet Experiment Magnetic Reconnection Event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Ryan S.; Bellan, Paul M.

2016-10-01

In the Caltech plasma jet experiment a 100 kA MHD driven jet becomes kink unstable leading to a Rayleigh-Taylor instability that quickly causes a magnetic reconnection event. Movies show that the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is simultaneous with voltage spikes across the electrodes that provide the current that drives the jet. Hard x-rays between 4 keV and 9 keV have now been observed using an x-ray scintillator detector mounted just outside of a kapton window on the vacuum chamber. Preliminary results indicate that the timing of the x-ray burst coincides with a voltage spike on the electrodes occurring in association with the Rayleigh-Taylor event. The x-ray signal accompanies the voltage spike and Rayleigh-Taylor event in approximately 50% of the shots. A possible explanation for why the x-ray signal is sometimes missing is that the magnetic reconnection event may be localized to a specific region of the plasma outside the line of sight of the scintillator. The x-ray signal has also been seen accompanying the voltage spike when no Rayleigh-Taylor is observed. This may be due to the interframe timing on the camera being longer than the very short duration of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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.

OBSERVATIONS OF THE CRAB NEBULA'S ASYMMETRICAL DEVELOPMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loll, A. M.; Desch, S. J.; Scowen, P. A.

2013-03-10

We present the first Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera-2 imaging survey of the entire Crab Nebula, in the filters F502N ([O III] emission), F673N ([S II]), F631N ([O I]), and F547M (continuum). We use our mosaics to characterize the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) and its three-dimensional structure, the ionizational structure in the filaments forming at its periphery, the speed of the shock driven by the PWN into surrounding ejecta (by inferring the cooling rates behind the shock), and the morphology and ionizational structure of the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) fingers. We quantify a number of asymmetries between the northwest (NW)more » and southeast (SE) quadrants of the Crab Nebula. The lack of observed filaments in the NW, and our observations of the spatial extent of [O III] emission lead us to conclude that cooling rates are slower, and therefore the shock speeds are greater, in the NW quadrant of the nebula, compared with the SE. We conclude that R-T fingers are longer, more ionizationally stratified, and apparently more massive in the NW than in the SE, and the R-T instability appears more fully developed in the NW.« less

Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability.

PubMed

Scase, Matthew M; Baldwin, Kyle A; Hill, Richard J A

2017-03-03

Classical techniques for investigating the Rayleigh-Taylor instability include using compressed gasses 1 , rocketry 2 or linear electric motors 3 to reverse the effective direction of gravity, and accelerate the lighter fluid toward the denser fluid. Other authors e.g. 4 , 5 , 6 have separated a gravitationally unstable stratification with a barrier that is removed to initiate the flow. However, the parabolic initial interface in the case of a rotating stratification imposes significant technical difficulties experimentally. We wish to be able to spin-up the stratification into solid-body rotation and only then initiate the flow in order to investigate the effects of rotation upon the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The approach we have adopted here is to use the magnetic field of a superconducting magnet to manipulate the effective weight of the two liquids to initiate the flow. We create a gravitationally stable two-layer stratification using standard flotation techniques. The upper layer is less dense than the lower layer and so the system is Rayleigh-Taylor stable. This stratification is then spun-up until both layers are in solid-body rotation and a parabolic interface is observed. These experiments use fluids with low magnetic susceptibility, |χ| ~ 10 -6 - 10 -5 , compared to a ferrofluids. The dominant effect of the magnetic field applies a body-force to each layer changing the effective weight. The upper layer is weakly paramagnetic while the lower layer is weakly diamagnetic. When the magnetic field is applied, the lower layer is repelled from the magnet while the upper layer is attracted towards the magnet. A Rayleigh-Taylor instability is achieved with application of a high gradient magnetic field. We further observed that increasing the dynamic viscosity of the fluid in each layer, increases the length-scale of the instability.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smitherman, D.P.

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}mmore » 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.« less

Viscous Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mikaelian, Karnig O.

We consider viscous fluids in spherical geometry, a lighter fluid supporting a heavier one. Chandrasekhar [Q. J. Mech. Appl. Math. 8, 1 (1955)] analyzed this unstable configuration providing the equations needed to find, numerically, the exact growth rates for the ensuing Rayleigh-Taylor instability. He also derived an analytic but approximate solution. We point out a weakness in his approximate dispersion relation (DR) and offer one that is to some extent improved.

Viscous Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry

DOE PAGES

Mikaelian, Karnig O.

2016-02-08

We consider viscous fluids in spherical geometry, a lighter fluid supporting a heavier one. Chandrasekhar [Q. J. Mech. Appl. Math. 8, 1 (1955)] analyzed this unstable configuration providing the equations needed to find, numerically, the exact growth rates for the ensuing Rayleigh-Taylor instability. He also derived an analytic but approximate solution. We point out a weakness in his approximate dispersion relation (DR) and offer one that is to some extent improved.

Observation of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution in a plasma with magnetic and viscous effects

DOE PAGES

Adams, Colin S.; Moser, Auna L.; Hsu, Scott C.

2015-11-06

We present time-resolved observations of Rayleigh-Taylor-instability (RTI) evolution at the interface between an unmagnetized plasma jet colliding with a stagnated, magnetized plasma. The observed instability growth time (~10μs) is consistent with the estimated linear RTI growth rate calculated using experimentally inferred values of density (~10 14cm–3) and deceleration (~10 9 m/s 2). The observed mode wavelength (≳1 cm) nearly doubles within a linear growth time. Furthermore, theoretical estimates of magnetic and viscous stabilization and idealized magnetohydrodynamic simulations including a physical viscosity model both suggest that the observed instability evolution is subject to magnetic and/or viscous effects.

On the secondary instability of Taylor-Goertler vortices to Tollmien-Schlichting waves in fully developed flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, James; Hall, Philip

1988-01-01

There are many flows of practical importance where both Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Taylor-Goertler vortices are possible causes of transition to turbulence. The effect of fully nonlinear Taylor-Goertler vortices on the growth of small amplitude Tollmien-Schlichting waves is investigated. The basic state considered is the fully developed flow between concentric cylinders driven by an azimuthal pressure gradient. It is hoped that an investigation of this problem will shed light on the more complicated external boundary layer problem where again both modes of instability exist in the presence of concave curvature. The type of Tollmien-Schlichting waves considered have the asymptotic structure of lower branch modes of plane Poiseuille flow. Whilst instabilities at lower Reynolds number are possible, the latter modes are simpler to analyze and more relevant to the boundary layer problem. The effect of fully nonlinear Taylor-Goertler vortices on both two-dimensional and three-dimensional waves is determined. It is shown that, whilst the maximum growth as a function of frequency is not greatly affected, there is a large destabilizing effect over a large range of frequencies.

On the secondary instability of Taylor-Goertler vortices to Tollmien-Schlichting waves in fully-developed flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, James; Hall, Philip

1986-01-01

There are many flows of practical importance where both Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Taylor-Goertler vortices are possible causes of transition to turbulence. The effect of fully nonlinear Taylor-Goertler vortices on the growth of small amplitude Tollmien-Schlichting waves is investigated. The basic state considered is the fully developed flow between concentric cylinders driven by an azimuthal pressure gradient. It is hoped that an investigation of this problem will shed light on the more complicated external boundary layer problem where again both modes of instability exist in the presence of concave curvature. The type of Tollmein-Schlichting waves considered have the asymptotic structure of lower branch modes of plane Poisseulle flow. Whilst instabilities at lower Reynolds number are possible, the latter modes are simpler to analyze and more relevant to the boundary layer problem. The effect of fully nonlinear Taylor-Goertler vortices on both two-dimensional and three-dimensional waves is determined. It is shown that, whilst the maximum growth as a function of frequency is not greatly affected, there is a large destabilizing effect over a large range of frequencies.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, R.; Aluie, H.; Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627

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.

Dynamic Stabilization of the Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability for Heavy Ion Fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qin, Hong; Davidson, Ronald C.; Logan, B. Grant

2012-10-04

Dynamic stabilization of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a heavy ion fusion target induced by a beam wobbling system is studied. Using a sharp-boundary model and Courant-Synder theory, it is shown, with an appropriately chosen modulation waveform, that the instability can be sta- bilized in certain parameter regimes. It is found that the stabilization e ect has a strong dependence on the modulation frequency and the waveform. Modulation with frequency comparable to the instability growth rate is the most e ective in terms of stabilizing the instability. A modulation with two frequency components can result in a reduction of themore » growth rate larger than the sum of that due to the two components when applied separately.« less

The Inhibition of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability by Rotation.

PubMed

Baldwin, Kyle A; Scase, Matthew M; Hill, Richard J A

2015-07-01

It is well-established that the Coriolis force that acts on fluid in a rotating system can act to stabilise otherwise unstable flows. Chandrasekhar considered theoretically the effect of the Coriolis force on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which occurs at the interface between a dense fluid lying on top of a lighter fluid under gravity, concluding that rotation alone could not stabilise this system indefinitely. Recent numerical work suggests that rotation may, nevertheless, slow the growth of the instability. Experimental verification of these results using standard techniques is problematic, owing to the practical difficulty in establishing the initial conditions. Here, we present a new experimental technique for studying the Rayleigh-Taylor instability under rotation that side-steps the problems encountered with standard techniques by using a strong magnetic field to destabilize an otherwise stable system. We find that rotation about an axis normal to the interface acts to retard the growth rate of the instability and stabilise long wavelength modes; the scale of the observed structures decreases with increasing rotation rate, asymptoting to a minimum wavelength controlled by viscosity. We present a critical rotation rate, dependent on Atwood number and the aspect ratio of the system, for stabilising the most unstable mode.

The Inhibition of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability by Rotation

PubMed Central

Baldwin, Kyle A.; Scase, Matthew M.; Hill, Richard J. A.

2015-01-01

It is well-established that the Coriolis force that acts on fluid in a rotating system can act to stabilise otherwise unstable flows. Chandrasekhar considered theoretically the effect of the Coriolis force on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which occurs at the interface between a dense fluid lying on top of a lighter fluid under gravity, concluding that rotation alone could not stabilise this system indefinitely. Recent numerical work suggests that rotation may, nevertheless, slow the growth of the instability. Experimental verification of these results using standard techniques is problematic, owing to the practical difficulty in establishing the initial conditions. Here, we present a new experimental technique for studying the Rayleigh-Taylor instability under rotation that side-steps the problems encountered with standard techniques by using a strong magnetic field to destabilize an otherwise stable system. We find that rotation about an axis normal to the interface acts to retard the growth rate of the instability and stabilise long wavelength modes; the scale of the observed structures decreases with increasing rotation rate, asymptoting to a minimum wavelength controlled by viscosity. We present a critical rotation rate, dependent on Atwood number and the aspect ratio of the system, for stabilising the most unstable mode. PMID:26130005

Surfactants and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of Couette type flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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, and also for MaL

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

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

PubMed

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.

Evidence for a Bubble-Competition Regime in Indirectly Driven Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability Experiments on the NIF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-05-01

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 μ m 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.

Influence of fluid temperature gradient on the flow within the shaft gap of a PLR pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, W.; Rosic, B.; Zhang, Q.; Khanal, B.

2016-03-01

In nuclear power plants the primary-loop recirculation (PLR) pump circulates the high temperature/high-pressure coolant in order to remove the thermal energy generated within the reactor. The pump is sealed using the cold purge flow in the shaft seal gap between the rotating shaft and stationary casing, where different forms of Taylor-Couette flow instabilities develop. Due to the temperature difference between the hot recirculating water and the cold purge water (of order of 200 °C), the flow instabilities in the gap cause temperature fluctuations, which can lead to shaft or casing thermal fatigue cracks. The present work numerically investigated the influence of temperature difference and rotating speed on the structure and dynamics of the Taylor-Couette flow instabilities. The CFD solver used in this study was extensively validated against the experimental data published in the open literature. Influence of temperature difference on the fluid dynamics of Taylor vortices was investigated in this study. With large temperature difference, the structure of the Taylor vortices is greatly stretched at the interface region between the annulus gap and the lower recirculating cavity. Higher temperature difference and rotating speed induce lower fluctuating frequency and smaller circumferential wave number of Taylor vortices. However, the azimuthal wave speed remains unchanged with all the cases tested. The predicted axial location of the maximum temperature fluctuation on the shaft is in a good agreement with the experimental data, identifying the region potentially affected by the thermal fatigue. The physical understandings of such flow instabilities presented in this paper would be useful for future PLR pump design optimization.

Simulations of Rayleigh Taylor Instabilities in the presence of a Strong Radiative shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trantham, Matthew; Kuranz, Carolyn; Shvarts, Dov; Drake, R. P.

2016-10-01

Recent Supernova Rayleigh Taylor experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are relevant to the evolution of core-collapse supernovae in which red supergiant stars explode. Here we report simulations of these experiments using the CRASH code. The CRASH code, developed at the University of Michigan to design and analyze high-energy-density experiments, is an Eulerian code with block-adaptive mesh refinement, multigroup diffusive radiation transport, and electron heat conduction. We explore two cases, one in which the shock is strongly radiative, and another with negligible radiation. The experiments in all cases produced structures at embedded interfaces by the Rayleigh Taylor instability. The weaker shocked environment is cooler and the instability grows classically. The strongly radiative shock produces a warm environment near the instability, ablates the interface, and alters the growth. We compare the simulated results with the experimental data and attempt to explain the differences. This work is funded by the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas, Grant Number DE-NA0002956.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goto, R.; Hatori, T.; Miura, H., E-mail: miura.hideaki@nifs.ac.jp

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. Themore » 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.« less

Absolute versus convective helical magnetorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette flow.

PubMed

Priede, Jānis; Gerbeth, Gunter

2009-04-01

We analyze numerically the magnetorotational instability of a Taylor-Couette flow in a helical magnetic field [helical magnetorotational instability (HMRI)] using the inductionless approximation defined by a zero magnetic Prandtl number (Pr_{m}=0) . The Chebyshev collocation method is used to calculate the eigenvalue spectrum for small-amplitude perturbations. First, we carry out a detailed conventional linear stability analysis with respect to perturbations in the form of Fourier modes that corresponds to the convective instability which is not in general self-sustained. The helical magnetic field is found to extend the instability to a relatively narrow range beyond its purely hydrodynamic limit defined by the Rayleigh line. There is not only a lower critical threshold at which HMRI appears but also an upper one at which it disappears again. The latter distinguishes the HMRI from a magnetically modified Taylor vortex flow. Second, we find an absolute instability threshold as well. In the hydrodynamically unstable regime before the Rayleigh line, the threshold of absolute instability is just slightly above the convective one although the critical wavelength of the former is noticeably shorter than that of the latter. Beyond the Rayleigh line the lower threshold of absolute instability rises significantly above the corresponding convective one while the upper one descends significantly below its convective counterpart. As a result, the extension of the absolute HMRI beyond the Rayleigh line is considerably shorter than that of the convective instability. The absolute HMRI is supposed to be self-sustained and, thus, experimentally observable without any external excitation in a system of sufficiently large axial extension.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, R.; Betti, R.; Sanz, J.

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. As a result, the vorticity is transferred by mass ablation from the Rayleigh-Taylor spikes to the ablated plasma filling the bubble volume.

Front fingering and complex dynamics driven by the interaction of buoyancy and diffusive instabilities.

PubMed

D'Hernoncourt, J; Merkin, J H; De Wit, A

2007-09-01

Traveling fronts can become transversally unstable either because of a diffusive instability arising when the key variables diffuse at sufficiently different rates or because of a buoyancy-driven Rayleigh-Taylor mechanism when the density jump across the front is statically unfavorable. The interaction between such diffusive and buoyancy instabilities of fronts is analyzed theoretically for a simple model system. Linear stability analysis and nonlinear simulations show that their interplay changes considerably the stability properties with regard to the pure Rayleigh-Taylor or diffusive instabilities of fronts. In particular, an instability scenario can arise which triggers convection around statically stable fronts as a result of differential diffusion. Moreover, spatiotemporal chaos can be observed when both buoyancy and diffusive effects cooperate to destabilize the front. Experimental conditions to test our predictions are suggested.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, L. F., E-mail: wang-lifeng@iapcm.ac.cn; Ye, W. H.; Liu, Jie

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.

Interface coupling and growth rate measurements in multilayer Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adkins, Raymond; Shelton, Emily M.; Renoult, Marie-Charlotte; Carles, Pierre; Rosenblatt, Charles

2017-06-01

Magnetic levitation was used to measure the growth rate Σ vs wave vector k of a Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a three-layer fluid system, a crucial step in the elucidation of interface coupling in finite-layer instabilities. For a three-layer (low-high-low density) system, the unstable mode growth rate decreases as both the height h of the middle layer and k are reduced, consistent with an interface coupling ∝e-k h . The ratios of the three-layer to the established two-layer growth rates are in good agreement with those of classic linear stability theory, which has long resisted verification in that configuration.

Two-length-scale turbulence model for self-similar buoyancy-, shock-, and shear-driven mixing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, Brandon E.; Schilling, Oleg; Hartland, Tucker A.

The three-equation k-L-a turbulence model [B. Morgan and M. Wickett, Three-equation model for the self-similar growth of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities," Phys. Rev. E 91 (2015)] is extended by the addition of a second length scale equation. It is shown that the separation of turbulence transport and turbulence destruction length scales is necessary for simultaneous prediction of the growth parameter and turbulence intensity of a Kelvin-Helmholtz shear layer when model coeficients are constrained by similarity analysis. Constraints on model coeficients are derived that satisfy an ansatz of self-similarity in the low-Atwood-number limit and allow the determination of model coeficients necessarymore » to recover expected experimental behavior. The model is then applied in one-dimensional simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor, reshocked Richtmyer-Meshkov, Kelvin{Helmholtz, and combined Rayleigh-Taylor/Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mixing layers to demonstrate that the expected growth rates are recovered numerically. Finally, it is shown that model behavior in the case of combined instability is to predict a mixing width that is a linear combination of Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz mixing processes.« less

A smoothed particle hydrodynamics model for miscible flow in three-dimensional fractures and the two-dimensional Rayleigh–Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tartakovsky, Alexandre M.; Meakin, Paul

2005-08-10

A numerical model based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) has been developed and used to simulate the classical two-dimensional Rayleigh–Taylor instability and three-dimensional miscible flow in fracture apertures with complex geometries. To model miscible flow fluid particles with variable, composition dependent, masses were used. By basing the SPH equations on the particle number density artificial surface tension effects were avoided. The simulation results for the growth of a single perturbation driven by the Rayleigh – Taylor instability compare well with numerical results obtained by Fournier et al., and the growth of a perturbation with time can be represented quite wellmore » by a second-degree polynomial, in accord with the linear stability analysis of Duff et al. The dispersion coefficient found from SPH simulation of flow and diffusion in an ideal fracture was in excellent agreement with the value predicted by the theory of Taylor and Aris. The simulations of miscible flow in fracture apertures can be used to determination dispersion coefficients for transport in fractured media - a parameter used in large-scale simulations of contaminant transport.« less

Two-length-scale turbulence model for self-similar buoyancy-, shock-, and shear-driven mixing

DOE PAGES

Morgan, Brandon E.; Schilling, Oleg; Hartland, Tucker A.

2018-01-10

The three-equation k-L-a turbulence model [B. Morgan and M. Wickett, Three-equation model for the self-similar growth of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities," Phys. Rev. E 91 (2015)] is extended by the addition of a second length scale equation. It is shown that the separation of turbulence transport and turbulence destruction length scales is necessary for simultaneous prediction of the growth parameter and turbulence intensity of a Kelvin-Helmholtz shear layer when model coeficients are constrained by similarity analysis. Constraints on model coeficients are derived that satisfy an ansatz of self-similarity in the low-Atwood-number limit and allow the determination of model coeficients necessarymore » to recover expected experimental behavior. The model is then applied in one-dimensional simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor, reshocked Richtmyer-Meshkov, Kelvin{Helmholtz, and combined Rayleigh-Taylor/Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mixing layers to demonstrate that the expected growth rates are recovered numerically. Finally, it is shown that model behavior in the case of combined instability is to predict a mixing width that is a linear combination of Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz mixing processes.« less

On the spreading and instability of gravity current fronts of arbitrary shape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Vibration waveform effects on dynamic stabilization of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piriz, A. R.; Lucchio, L. Di; Rodriguez Prieto, G.

2011-08-15

An analysis of dynamic stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an ablation front is performed by considering a general square wave for modulating the vertical acceleration of the front. Such a kind of modulation allows for clarifying the role of thermal conduction in the mechanism of dynamic stabilization. In addition, the study of the effect of different modulations by varying the duration and amplitude of the square wave in each half-period provides insight on the optimum performance of dynamic stabilization.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo investigation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallis, M. A.; Koehler, T. P.; Torczynski, J. R.

In this paper, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) is investigated using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method of molecular gas dynamics. Here, fully resolved two-dimensional DSMC RTI simulations are performed to quantify the growth of flat and single-mode perturbed interfaces between two atmospheric-pressure monatomic gases as a function of the Atwood number and the gravitational acceleration. The DSMC simulations reproduce many qualitative features of the growth of the mixing layer and are in reasonable quantitative agreement with theoretical and empirical models in the linear, nonlinear, and self-similar regimes. In some of the simulations at late times, the instability enters themore » self-similar regime, in agreement with experimental observations. Finally, for the conditions simulated, diffusion can influence the initial instability growth significantly.« less

Charge-Induced Saffman-Taylor Instabilities in Toroidal Droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fragkopoulos, A. A.; Aizenman, A.; Fernández-Nieves, A.

2017-06-01

We show that charged toroidal droplets can develop fingerlike structures as they expand due to Saffman-Taylor instabilities. While these are commonly observed in quasi-two-dimensional geometries when a fluid displaces another fluid of higher viscosity, we show that the toroidal confinement breaks the symmetry of the problem, effectively making it quasi-two-dimensional and enabling the instability to develop in this three-dimensional situation. We control the expansion speed of the torus with the imposed electric stress and show that fingers are observed provided the characteristic time scale associated with this instability is smaller than the characteristic time scale associated with Rayleigh-Plateau break-up. We confirm our interpretation of the results by showing that the number of fingers is consistent with expectations from linear stability analysis in radial Hele-Shaw cells.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo investigation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE PAGES

Gallis, M. A.; Koehler, T. P.; Torczynski, J. R.; ...

2016-08-31

In this paper, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) is investigated using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method of molecular gas dynamics. Here, fully resolved two-dimensional DSMC RTI simulations are performed to quantify the growth of flat and single-mode perturbed interfaces between two atmospheric-pressure monatomic gases as a function of the Atwood number and the gravitational acceleration. The DSMC simulations reproduce many qualitative features of the growth of the mixing layer and are in reasonable quantitative agreement with theoretical and empirical models in the linear, nonlinear, and self-similar regimes. In some of the simulations at late times, the instability enters themore » self-similar regime, in agreement with experimental observations. Finally, for the conditions simulated, diffusion can influence the initial instability growth significantly.« less

Suppression of the Saffman-Taylor instability through injection of a finite slug of polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beeson-Jones, Timothy H.; Woods, Andrew W.

2014-11-01

During secondary oil recovery, relatively mobile water can channel through oil owing to the Saffman-Taylor instability. Injection of a finite slug of polymer solution from a central well prior to the water flood suppresses the growth of the instability by reducing the adverse mobility ratio at the leading interface. A linear stability analysis of an axisymmetric base state identifies how perturbations on the leading and trailing interfaces become coupled. It also reveals the dependence of the long-time algebraic growth of each mode on the mobility ratios across the two interfaces. The viscosity of the polymer solution which minimizes the growth rate of the instability is identified, and the impact of different slug sizes on this growth is described. Funded by EPSRC & BP.

Forecasting Ionospheric Real-time Scintillation Tool (FIRST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, D. N.; Redmon, R.; Bullett, T.; Caton, R. G.; Retterer, J. M.

2009-05-01

It is well-known that the generation of equatorial, F-region plasma density irregularities, via the Generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability mechanism is critically dependent on the magnitude of the pre-reversal enhancement (PRE) in upward ExB drift velocity after sunset. These plasma density bubbles that are generated after sunset lead to the scintillation of trans-ionospheric radio wave signals that pass through these bubbles and is commonly referred to as scintillation activity. Communication and Navigation systems can be severely disrupted by these plasma density irregularities. A measure of scintillation activity is given by the S4 Index and a network of Air Force, ground-based UHF and L-band receivers measuring the S4 Index is called the SCIntillation Network Decision Aid (SCINDA) network. After sunset, the height-rise with time of the bottom- side of the F-layer reflects the magnitude of the upward ExB drift velocity. The value of the ionospheric parameter, h'F (the virtual height of the bottom-side F-layer) at 1930 LT reflects the integrated ExB drift effect on lifting the F-layer to an altitude where the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability mechanism becomes important. It is found that there exists a threshold in the h'F value at 1930 LT and the onset of scintillation activity as measured by the S4 Index value in the Peruvian longitude sector. This h'F threshold value is found to decrease with decreasing F10.7 cm fluxes in a linear manner (R = 0.99). T o examine this relationship, theoretically, we incorporate a suite of first-principle models of the ambient ionosphere (PBMOD) developed at the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to investigate R-T growth rates and threshold h'F (1930 LT) values as a function of solar cycle activity. In addition, this paper describes a technique for automatically forecasting, in real-time, the occurrence or non-occurrence of scintillation activity that relies on real-time data from a ground-based ionospheric sounder at or near the geomagnetic equator. We describe how FIRST has been developed into a real-time capability for automatically forecasting scintillation activity that is available on Google Earth to all interested parties.

Evidence for a Bubble-Competition Regime in Indirectly Driven Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability Experiments on the NIF

DOE PAGES

Martinez, D. A.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Kane, J. O.; ...

2015-05-29

In this paper, 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 frontmore » is achieved for the first time in indirect drive. Finally, 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.« less

Instabilities in a staircase stratified shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponetti, G.; Balmforth, N. J.; Eaves, T. S.

2018-01-01

We study stratified shear flow instability where the density profile takes the form of a staircase of interfaces separating uniform layers. Internal gravity waves riding on density interfaces can resonantly interact due to a background shear flow, resulting in the Taylor-Caulfield instability. The many steps of the density profile permit a multitude of interactions between different interfaces, and a rich variety of Taylor-Caulfield instabilities. We analyse the linear instability of a staircase with piecewise-constant density profile embedded in a background linear shear flow, locating all the unstable modes and identifying the strongest. The interaction between nearest-neighbour interfaces leads to the most unstable modes. The nonlinear dynamics of the instabilities are explored in the long-wavelength, weakly stratified limit (the defect approximation). Unstable modes on adjacent interfaces saturate by rolling up the intervening layer into a distinctive billow. These nonlinear structures coexist when stacked vertically and are bordered by the sharp density gradients that are the remnants of the steps of the original staircase. Horizontal averages remain layer-like.

The strong nonlinear interaction of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Taylor-Goertler vortices in curved channel flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, J.; Hall, P.; Smith, F. T.

1988-01-01

Viscous fluid flows with curved streamlines can support both centrifugal and viscous traveling wave instabilities. Here the interaction of these instabilities in the context of the fully developed flow in a curved channel is discussed. The viscous (Tollmein-Schlichting) instability is described asymptotically at high Reynolds numbers and it is found that it can induce a Taylor-Goertler flow even at extremely small amplitudes. In this interaction, the Tollmein-Schlichting wave can drive a vortex state with wavelength either comparable with the channel width or the wavelength of lower branch viscous modes. The nonlinear equations which describe these interactions are solved for nonlinear equilibrium states.

Rayleigh-Taylor instability in accelerated elastic-solid slabs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 ρ1<ρ2 . It extends previous results for Atwood number AT=1 [B. J. Plohr and D. H. Sharp, Z. Angew. Math. Phys. 49, 786 (1998), 10.1007/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 .

Particle drift model for Z-pinch-driven magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dan, Jia Kun; Xu, Qiang; Wang, Kun Lun; Ren, Xiao Dong; Huang, Xian Bin

2016-09-01

A theoretical model of Z-pinch driven magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability is proposed based on the particle drift point of view, which can explain the helical instability structure observed in premagnetized imploding liner experiments. It is demonstrated that all possible drift motions, including polarization drift, gradient drift, and curvature drift, which can lead to charge separations, each will attribute to an effective gravity acceleration. Theoretical predictions given by this model are dramatically different from those given by previous theories which have been readily recovered in the theory presented here as a limiting case. The theory shows qualitative agreement with available experimental data of the pitch angle and provides certain predictions to be verified.

On the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Presence of a Background Shear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shvydkoy, Roman

2018-01-01

In this note we revisit the classical subject of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in presence of an incompressible background shear flow. We derive a formula for the essential spectral radius of the evolution group generated by the linearization near the steady state and reveal that the velocity variations neutralize shortwave instabilities. The formula is a direct generalization of the result of Hwang and Guo (Arch Ration Mech Anal 167(3):235-253, (2003). Furthermore, we construct a class of steady states which posses unstable discrete spectrum with neutral essential spectrum. The technique involves the WKB analysis of the evolution equation and contains novel compactness criterion for pseudo-differential operators on unbounded domains.

Self-similarity in high Atwood number Rayleigh-Taylor experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 in soft elastic layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riccobelli, D.; Ciarletta, P.

2017-04-01

This work investigates the morphological stability of a soft body composed of two heavy elastic layers attached to a rigid surface and subjected only to the bulk gravity force. Using theoretical and computational tools, we characterize the selection of different patterns as well as their nonlinear evolution, unveiling the interplay between elastic and geometric effects for their formation. Unlike similar gravity-induced shape transitions in fluids, such as the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, we prove that the nonlinear elastic effects saturate the dynamic instability of the bifurcated solutions, displaying a rich morphological diagram where both digitations and stable wrinkling can emerge. The results of this work provide important guidelines for the design of novel soft systems with tunable shapes, with several applications in engineering sciences. This article is part of the themed issue 'Patterning through instabilities in complex media: theory and applications.'

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

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

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} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}

Simulating the Rayleigh-Taylor instability with the Ising model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ball, Justin R.; Elliott, James B.

2011-08-26

The Ising model, implemented with the Metropolis algorithm and Kawasaki dynamics, makes a system with its own physics, distinct from the real world. These physics are sophisticated enough to model behavior similar to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and by better understanding these physics, we can learn how to modify the system to better re ect reality. For example, we could add a v x and a v y to each spin and modify the exchange rules to incorporate them, possibly using two body scattering laws to construct a more realistic system.

Numerical simulation of the hydrodynamic instabilities of Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortova, S. V.; Shepelev, V. V.; Troshkin, O. V.; Kozlov, S. A.

2017-09-01

The paper presents the results of numerical simulation of the development of hydrodynamic instabilities of Richtmyer-Meshkov and Rayleigh-Taylor encountered in experiments [1-3]. For the numerical solution used the TPS software package (Turbulence Problem Solver) that implements a generalized approach to constructing computer programs for a wide range of problems of hydrodynamics, described by the system of equations of hyperbolic type. As numerical methods are used the method of large particles and ENO-scheme of the second order with Roe solver for the approximate solution of the Riemann problem.

A solution to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. Bubbles, spikes, and their scalings

DOE PAGES

Mikaelian, Karnig O.

2014-05-12

A fluid that pushes on and accelerates a heavier fluid, small perturbations at their interface grows with time and lead. to turbulent mixing. The same instability, known as the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, operates when a heavy fluid is supported by a lighter fluid in a gravitational field. Moreover, it has a particularly deleterious effect on inertial-confinement-fusion implosions and is known to operate over 18 orders of magnitude in dimension. We propose analytic expressions for the bubble and spike amplitudes and mixing widths in the linear, nonlinear, and turbulent regimes. They cover arbitrary density ratios and accelerations that are constant or changingmore » relatively slowly with time. Here, we discuss their scalings and compare them with simulations and experiments.« less

A comparative study of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities in 2D and 3D in tantalum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sternberger, Z.; Maddox, B. R.; Opachich, Y. P.; Wehrenberg, C. E.; Kraus, R. G.; Remington, B. A.; Randall, G. C.; Farrell, M.; Ravichandran, G.

2017-01-01

Driving a shock wave through the interface between two materials with different densities can result in the Richtmyer-Meshkov or Rayleigh-Taylor instability and initial perturbations at the interface will grow. If the shock wave is sufficiently strong, the instability will lead to plastic flow at the interface. Material strength will reduce the amount of plastic flow and suppress growth. While such instabilities have been investigated in 2D, no studies of this phenomena have been performed in 3D on materials with strength. Initial perturbations to seed the hydrodynamic instability were coined into tantalum recovery targets. Two types of perturbations were used, two dimensional (2D) perturbations (hill and valley) and three-dimensional (3D) perturbations (egg crate pattern). The targets were subjected to dynamic loading using the Janus laser at the Jupiter Laser Facility. Shock pressures ranged from 50 GPa up to 150 GPa and were calibrated using VISAR drive targets.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Livescu, Daniel; Wieland, Scott A.; Reckinger, Scott

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

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knauer, J. P.; Verdon, C. P.; Meyerhofer, D. D.

1997-04-15

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{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 measuredmore » 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-{mu}m and 60-{mu}m 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-{mu}m-thick polystyrene foam buffer layer resulted in reduced growth of the 31-{mu}m perturbation and essentially unchanged growth for the 60-{mu}m case when compared to targets without foam.« less

Application of Self-Similarity Constrained Reynolds-Averaged Turbulence Models to Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov Unstable Turbulent Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartland, Tucker A.; Schilling, Oleg

2016-11-01

Analytical self-similar solutions corresponding to Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability are combined with observed values of the growth parameters in these instabilities to derive coefficient sets for K- ɛ and K- L- a Reynolds-averaged turbulence models. It is shown that full numerical solutions of the model equations give mixing layer widths, fields, and budgets in good agreement with the corresponding self-similar quantities for small Atwood number. Both models are then applied to Rayleigh-Taylor instability with increasing density contrasts to estimate the Atwood number above which the self-similar solutions become invalid. The models are also applied to a reshocked Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, and the predictions are compared with data. The expressions for the growth parameters obtained from the similarity analysis are used to develop estimates for the sensitivity of their values to changes in important model coefficients. Numerical simulations using these modified coefficient values are then performed to provide bounds on the model predictions associated with uncertainties in these coefficient values. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. This work was supported by the 2016 LLNL High-Energy-Density Physics Summer Student Program.

Experiments of the highly non-linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability regime and dependence on Atwood Number

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elgin, L.; Handy, T.; Malamud, G.; Huntington, C. M.; Trantham, M. R.; Klein, S. R.; Kuranz, C. C.; Drake, R. P.; Shvarts, D.

2017-10-01

Potential flow models predict that a Rayleigh-Taylor unstable system will reach a terminal velocity (and constant Froude number) at low Atwood numbers. Numerical simulations predict a re-acceleration phase of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) and higher Froude number at late times. To observe this effect, we are conducting a series of experiments at OMEGA 60 to measure single-mode RTI growth at low and high Atwood numbers and late times. X-ray radiographs spanning 40 + ns capture the evolution of these systems. Experimental design challenges and initial results are discussed here. 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.

Comprehensive numerical methodology for direct numerical simulations of compressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reckinger, Scott James; Livescu, Daniel; Vasilyev, Oleg V.

A comprehensive numerical methodology has been developed that handles the challenges introduced by considering the compressive nature of Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) systems, which include sharp interfacial density gradients on strongly stratified background states, acoustic wave generation and removal at computational boundaries, and stratification-dependent vorticity production. The computational framework is used to simulate two-dimensional single-mode RTI to extreme late-times for a wide range of flow compressibility and variable density effects. The results show that flow compressibility acts to reduce the growth of RTI for low Atwood numbers, as predicted from linear stability analysis.

A connection between mix and adiabat in ICF capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Baolian; Kwan, Thomas; Wang, Yi-Ming; Yi, Sunghuan (Austin); Batha, Steven

2016-10-01

We study the relationship between instability induced mix, preheat and the adiabat of the deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel in fusion capsule experiments. Our studies show that hydrodynamic instability not only directly affects the implosion, hot spot shape and mix, but also affects the thermodynamics of the capsule, such as, the adiabat of the DT fuel, and, in turn, affects the energy partition between the pusher shell (cold DT) and the hot spot. It was found that the adiabat of the DT fuel is sensitive to the amount of mix caused by Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities at the material interfaces due to its exponential dependence on the fuel entropy. An upper limit of mix allowed maintaining a low adiabat of DT fuel is derived. Additionally we demonstrated that the use of a high adiabat for the DT fuel in theoretical analysis and with the aid of 1D code simulations could explain some aspects of the 3D effects and mix in the capsule experiments. Furthermore, from the observed neutron images and our physics model, we could infer the adiabat of the DT fuel in the capsule and determine the possible amount of mix in the hot spot (LA-UR-16-24880). This work was conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36.

Gravitational instability of thin gas layer between two thick liquid layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimenova, A. V.; Goldobin, D. S.

2016-12-01

We consider the problem of gravitational instability (Rayleigh-Taylor instability) of a horizontal thin gas layer between two liquid half-spaces (or thick layers), where the light liquid overlies the heavy one. This study is motivated by the phenomenon of boiling at the surface of direct contact between two immiscible liquids, where the rate of the "break-away" of the vapor layer growing at the contact interface due to development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability on the upper liquid-gas interface is of interest. The problem is solved analytically under the assumptions of inviscid liquids and viscous weightless vapor. These assumptions correspond well to the processes in real systems, e.g., they are relevant for the case of interfacial boiling in the system water- n-heptane. In order to verify the results, the limiting cases of infinitely thin and infinitely thick gas layers were considered, for which the results can be obviously deduced from the classical problem of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. These limiting cases are completely identical to the well-studied cases of gravity waves at the liquidliquid and liquid-gas interfaces. When the horizontal extent of the system is long enough, the wavenumber of perturbations is not limited from below, and the system is always unstable. The wavelength of the most dangerous perturbations and the rate of their exponential growth are derived as a function of the layer thickness. The dependence of the exponential growth rate on the gas layer thickness is cubic.

Dynamic stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an ablation front

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piriz, A. R.; Di Lucchio, L.; Rodriguez Prieto, G.

2011-01-15

Dynamic stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an ablation front is studied by considering a modulation in the acceleration that consists of sequences of Dirac deltas. This allows obtaining explicit analytical expressions for the instability growth rate as well as for the boundaries of the stability region. As a general rule, it is found that it is possible to stabilize all wave numbers above a certain minimum value k{sub m}, but the requirements in the modulation amplitude and frequency become more exigent with smaller k{sub m}. The essential role of compressibility is phenomenologically addressed in order to find the constraint itmore » imposes on the stability region. The results for some different wave forms of the acceleration modulation are also presented.« less

Nonlinear excitation of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability for all wave numbers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, H.; Betti, R.; Gopalaswamy, V.

Small-scale perturbations in the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (ARTI) are often neglected because they are linearly stable when their wavelength is shorter than a linear cutoff. Using 2D and 3D numerical simulations, it is shown that linearly stable modes of any wavelength can be destabilized. This instability regime requires finite amplitude initial perturbations and linearly stable ARTI modes are more easily destabilized in 3D than in 2D. In conclusion, it is shown that for conditions found in laser fusion targets, short wavelength ARTI modes are more efficient at driving mixing of ablated material throughout the target since the nonlinear bubble densitymore » increases with the wave number and small scale bubbles carry a larger mass flux of mixed material.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Nonlinear excitation of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability for all wave numbers

DOE PAGES

Zhang, H.; Betti, R.; Gopalaswamy, V.; ...

2018-01-16

Small-scale perturbations in the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (ARTI) are often neglected because they are linearly stable when their wavelength is shorter than a linear cutoff. Using 2D and 3D numerical simulations, it is shown that linearly stable modes of any wavelength can be destabilized. This instability regime requires finite amplitude initial perturbations and linearly stable ARTI modes are more easily destabilized in 3D than in 2D. In conclusion, it is shown that for conditions found in laser fusion targets, short wavelength ARTI modes are more efficient at driving mixing of ablated material throughout the target since the nonlinear bubble densitymore » increases with the wave number and small scale bubbles carry a larger mass flux of mixed material.« less

Singularities in water waves and Rayleigh-Taylor instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanveer, S.

1991-01-01

Singularities in inviscid two-dimensional finite-amplitude water waves and inviscid Rayleigh-Taylor instability are discussed. For the deep water gravity waves of permanent form, through a combination of analytical and numerical methods, results describing the precise form, number, and location of singularities in the unphysical domain as the wave height is increased are presented. It is shown how the information on the singularity in the unphysical region has the same form as for deep water waves. However, associated with such a singularity is a series of image singularities at increasing distances from the physical plane with possibly different behavior. Furthermore, for the Rayleigh-Taylor problem of motion of fluid over a vacuum and for the unsteady water wave problem, integro-differential equations valid in the unphysical region are derived, and how these equations can give information on the nature of singularities for arbitrary initial conditions is shown.

How high energy fluxes may affect Rayleigh–Taylor instability growth in young supernova remnants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuranz, Carolyn C.; Park, Hye -Sook; Huntington, Channing M.

Here, energy-transport effects can alter the structure that develops as a supernova evolves into a supernova remnant. The Rayleigh–Taylor instability is thought to produce structure at the interface between the stellar ejecta and the circumstellar matter, based on simple models and hydrodynamic simulations. Here we report experimental results from the National Ignition Facility to explore how large energy fluxes, which are present in supernovae, affect this structure. We observed a reduction in Rayleigh–Taylor growth. In analyzing the comparison with supernova SN1993J, a Type II supernova, we found that the energy fluxes produced by heat conduction appear to be larger thanmore » 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 supernova remnants and these dynamics should be noted in the understanding of young supernova remnants.« less

How high energy fluxes may affect Rayleigh–Taylor instability growth in young supernova remnants

DOE PAGES

Kuranz, Carolyn C.; Park, Hye -Sook; Huntington, Channing M.; ...

2018-04-19

Here, energy-transport effects can alter the structure that develops as a supernova evolves into a supernova remnant. The Rayleigh–Taylor instability is thought to produce structure at the interface between the stellar ejecta and the circumstellar matter, based on simple models and hydrodynamic simulations. Here we report experimental results from the National Ignition Facility to explore how large energy fluxes, which are present in supernovae, affect this structure. We observed a reduction in Rayleigh–Taylor growth. In analyzing the comparison with supernova SN1993J, a Type II supernova, we found that the energy fluxes produced by heat conduction appear to be larger thanmore » 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 supernova remnants and these dynamics should be noted in the understanding of young supernova remnants.« less

Fragmentation dynamics in the droplet bag breakup regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Varun; Sojka, Paul

2014-11-01

The closing stages of a droplet bag breakup event is marked by the appearance of several topological changes in the drop shape, followed by its fragmentation owing to hydrodynamics instabilities. In the present work we examine this breakup event, which occurs when a drop enters a continuous jet air stream. The deformed drop before eventual fragmentation is comprised of two main features: a bag and a bounding rim. Our investigation discusses the mechanism of rim/ bag breakup and the ensuing drop size distribution. The role of two possible instabilities, Plateau -Rayleigh and Rayleigh -Taylor, in rim breakup is examined and the dominant role of the Plateau -Rayleigh instability is revealed. In contrast, the Rayleigh -Taylor instability is seen to explain the disintegration of the bag well. The effects of viscosity and air jet velocity are also investigated. The formation of secondary features, such as nodes on the rim and holes on the bag, are also discussed. To conclude, a simple scaling argument based on the characteristic time scales of these instabilities is presented to explain the commonly observed early bursting of the bag, vis-à-vis the rim.

Experimental constraints on the deformation and breakup of injected magma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodge, Kirsten F.; Carazzo, Guillaume; Jellinek, A. Mark

2012-04-01

The injection, breakup and stirring of dikes entering convecting silicic magma chambers can govern how they grow and differentiate, as well as influence their potential for eruption at the surface. Enclaves observed in plutons may preserve a record of this process and, thus, identifying and understanding the physical processes underlying their formation is a crucial issue in volcanology. We use laboratory experiments and scaling theory to investigate the mechanical and rheological conditions leading to the deformation and breakup of analog crystal-rich dikes injected as discrete plumes that descend into an underlying imposed shear flow. To scale the experiments and map the results across a wide range of natural conditions we define the ratio S of the timescale for the growth of a gravitational Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability of the sheared, injected material to the timescale for settling through the fluid layer and the ratio Y of the timescales for shearing and lateral disaggregation of the particle-fluid mixture (yielding). At low S (< 3) and high Y (> 40), descending plumes are stretched and tilted before undergoing R-T instability, forming drips with a wavelength that is comparable to the initial diameter of the injection. At low Y (< 40) and S values that increase from ∼ 3 as Y → 0, an injection yields in tension before a R-T instability can grow, forming discrete particle-fluid blobs that are much smaller than the initial injection diameter and separated by thin filaments of the original mixture. At high S (> 3) and high Y (> 40), injections remain intact as they settle through the layer and pond at the floor. Applied to magma chambers, our results do not support the production of a continuum of enclave sizes. Indeed, from scaling analyses we expect the two breakup regimes to form distinct size populations: Whereas enclaves formed in the R-T regime will be comparable to the injection size, those formed in the tension regime will be much smaller. We show that enclave size distributions observed in the field can potentially be used to infer the Y - S conditions for the magma chamber at the time of injection. In addition, these observations can constrain aspects of the styles of flow, stirring, and mixing within the magma chamber, as well as the rheological contrast between the injected and host magma at the time of enclave formation. Our work shows that the contrast in composition between the injected and host magmas will have a strong effect on the mingling structures that are likely to be generated.

The Magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Astrophysical Discs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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.

Mode selection of magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability from the point of view of Landau phase transition theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dan, Jia Kun; Huang, Xian Bin; Ren, Xiao Dong; Wei, Bing

2017-08-01

A theoretical model referring to mode selection of Z-pinch-driven magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability, which explains the generation of fundamental instability mode and evolution of fundamental wavelength in experiments, is proposed on the basis of the Landau theory of phase transition. The basic idea of this phase transition model lies in that the appearance of MRT instability pattern can be considered as a consequence of the spontaneous generation of interfacial structure like the spontaneous magnetization in a ferromagnetic system. It is demonstrated that the amplitude of instability is responsible for the order parameter in the Landau theory of phase transition and the fundamental wavelength appears to play a role analogous to inverse temperature in thermodynamics. Further analysis indicates that the MRT instability is characterized by first order phase transition and the fundamental wavelength is proportional to the square root of energy entering into the system from the driving source. The theory predicts that the fundamental wavelength grows rapidly and saturates reaching a limiting wavelength of the order of the liner's final outer radius. The results given by this theory show qualitative agreement with the available experimental data of MRT instability of liner implosions conducted on the Sandia Z machine as well as Primary Test Stand facility at the Institute of Fluid Physics.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knauer, J.P.; Verdon, C.P.; Meyerhofer, D.D.

1997-04-01

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 2.5{times}10{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{percent}{endash}7{percent} over a 600-{mu}m-diam region defined by the 90{percent} intensity contour. The temporal growth of the modulation in optical depth was measured usingmore » 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-{mu}m and 60-{mu}m wavelength perturbations was found to be in good agreement with {ital ORCHID} simulations when the experimental details, including noise, were included. The addition of a 30-mg/cc, 100-{mu}m-thick polystyrene foam buffer layer resulted in reduced growth of the 31-{mu}m perturbation and essentially unchanged growth for the 60-{mu}m case when compared to targets without foam. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Temporal evolution of surface ripples on a finite plasma slab subject to the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weis, M. R.; Zhang, P.; Lau, Y. Y., E-mail: yylau@umich.edu

2014-12-15

Using the ideal magnetohydrodynamic model, we calculate the temporal evolution of initial ripples on the boundaries of a planar plasma slab that is subjected to the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The plasma slab consists of three regions. We assume that in each region the plasma density is constant with an arbitrary value and the magnetic field is also constant with an arbitrary magnitude and an arbitrary direction parallel to the interfaces. Thus, the instability may be driven by a combination of magnetic pressure and kinetic pressure. The general dispersion relation is derived, together with the feedthrough factor between the two interfaces. Themore » temporal evolution is constructed from the superposition of the eigenmodes. Previously established results are recovered in the various limits. Numerical examples are given on the temporal evolution of ripples on the interfaces of the finite plasma slab.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Flapping dynamics of a thin liquid sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Temporal evolution of surface ripples on a finite plasma slab subject to the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE PAGES

Weis, Matthew Robert; Zhang, Peng; Lau, Yue Ying; ...

2014-12-17

Using the ideal magnetohydrodynamic model, we calculate the temporal evolution of initial ripples on the boundaries of a planar plasma slab that is subjected to the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The plasma slab consists of three regions. We assume that in each region the plasma density is constant with an arbitrary value and the magnetic field is also constant with an arbitrary magnitude and an arbitrary direction parallel to the interfaces. Then, the instability may be driven by a combination of magnetic pressure and kinetic pressure. Thus the general dispersion relation is derived, together with the feedthrough factor between the two interfaces.more » The temporal evolution is constructed from the superposition of the eigenmodes. Those previously established results are recovered in the various limits. Numerical examples are given on the temporal evolution of ripples on the interfaces of the finite plasma slab.« less

Multi-station investigation of spread F over Europe during low to high solar activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Krishnendu Sekhar; Haralambous, Haris; Oikonomou, Christina; Paul, Ashik; Belehaki, Anna; Ioanna, Tsagouri; Kouba, Daniel; Buresova, Dalia

2018-04-01

Spread F is an ionospheric phenomenon which has been reported and analyzed extensively over equatorial regions on the basis of the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability. It has also been investigated over midlatitude regions, mostly over the Southern Hemisphere with its generation attributed to the Perkins instability mechanism. Over midlatitudes it has also been correlated with geomagnetic storms through the excitation of travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) and subsequent F region uplifts. The present study deals with the occurrence rate of nighttime spread F events and their diurnal, seasonal and solar cycle variation observed over three stations in the European longitude sector namely Nicosia (geographic Lat: 35.29 °N, Long: 33.38 °E geographic: geomagnetic Lat: 29.38 °N), Athens (geographic Lat: 37.98 °N, Long: 23.73 °E geographic: geomagnetic Lat: 34.61 °N) and Pruhonice (geographic Lat: 50.05 °N, Long: 14.41 °E geographic: geomagnetic Lat: 47.7 °N) during 2009, 2015 and 2016 encompassing periods of low, medium and high solar activity, respectively. The latitudinal and longitudinal variation of spread F occurrence was examined by considering different instability triggering mechanisms and precursors which past literature identified as critical to the generation of spread F events. The main findings of this investigation is an inverse solar cycle and annual temporal dependence of the spread F occurrence rate and a different dominant spread F type between low and high European midlatitudes.

Harmonic growth of spherical Rayleigh-Taylor instability in weakly nonlinear regime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Wanhai; LHD, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190; Chen, Yulian

Harmonic growth in classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) on a spherical interface is analytically investigated using the method of the parameter expansion up to the third order. Our results show that the amplitudes of the first four harmonics will recover those in planar RTI as the interface radius tends to infinity compared against the initial perturbation wavelength. The initial radius dramatically influences the harmonic development. The appearance of the second-order feedback to the initial unperturbed interface (i.e., the zeroth harmonic) makes the interface move towards the spherical center. For these four harmonics, the smaller the initial radius is, the faster theymore » grow.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Experimental investigation of multi-scale non-equilibrium plasma dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellan, Paul

2013-10-01

Lab experiments at Caltech resolve complex, detailed MHD dynamics spatially and temporally. Unbalanced forces drive fast plasma flows which tend to self-collimate via self-pinching. Collimation results from flow stagnation compressing embedded magnetic flux and so amplifying the magnetic field responsible for pinching. Measurements show that the collimated flow is essentially a dense plasma jet with embedded axial and azimuthal magnetic fields, i.e., a magnetic flux tube (flux rope). The measured jet velocity is in good agreement with an MHD acceleration model. Depending on how flux tube radius varies with axial position, jets flow into a flux tube from both ends or from just one end. Jets kink when the flux tube in which they are embedded breaches the Kruskal-Shafranov stability limit. The lateral acceleration of a sufficiently strong kink can produce an enormous effective gravity which provides the environment for an observed fine-scale, extremely fast Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability. The RT can erode the jet current channel to be smaller than the ion skin depth so there is a cascade from the ideal MHD scale of the kink to the non-MHD ion skin depth scale. This process can result in a magnetic reconnection whereby the jet and its embedded flux tube break. Supported by USDOE.

Linear stability analysis of particle-laden hypopycnal plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farenzena, Bruno Avila; Silvestrini, Jorge Hugo

2017-12-01

Gravity-driven riverine outflows are responsible for carrying sediments to the coastal waters. The turbulent mixing in these flows is associated with shear and gravitational instabilities such as Kelvin-Helmholtz, Holmboe, and Rayleigh-Taylor. Results from temporal linear stability analysis of a two-layer stratified flow are presented, investigating the behavior of settling particles and mixing region thickness on the flow stability in the presence of ambient shear. The particles are considered suspended in the transport fluid, and its sedimentation is modeled with a constant valued settling velocity. Three scenarios, regarding the mixing region thickness, were identified: the poorly mixed environment, the strong mixed environment, and intermediate scenario. It was observed that Kelvin-Helmholtz and settling convection modes are the two fastest growing modes depending on the particles settling velocity and the total Richardson number. The second scenario presents a modified Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which is the dominant mode. The third case can have Kelvin-Helmholtz, settling convection, and modified Rayleigh-Taylor modes as the fastest growing mode depending on the combination of parameters.

A k-ɛ model for turbulent mixing in shock-tube flows induced by Rayleigh-Taylor instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, Serge; Bonnet, Michel

1990-09-01

A k-ɛ model for turbulent mixing induced by Rayleigh-Taylor instability is described. The classical linear closure relations are supplemented with algebraic relations in order to be valid under strong gradients. Calibrations were made against two shock-tube experiments (Andronov et al. [Sov. Phys. JETP 44, 424 (1976); Sov. Phys. Dokl. 27, 393 (1982)] and Houas et al. [Proceedings of the 15th International Symposium on Shock Waves and Shock Tubes (Stanford U.P., Stanford, CA, 1986)]) using the same set of constants. The new interpretation of the experimental data of Brouillette and Sturtevant [Physica D 37, 248 (1989)], where the mixing length is discriminated from the wall jet, requires a different numerical value for the Rayleigh-Taylor source term coefficient. A detailed physical study is given in both cases. It turns out that the spectrum is narrower in the Brouillette and Sturtevant case than in the Andronov et al. case but the small length scales are of the same magnitude.

Helical magnetorotational instability in magnetized Taylor-Couette flow.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Goodman, Jeremy; Herron, Isom; Ji, Hantao

2006-11-01

Hollerbach and Rüdiger have reported a new type of magnetorotational instability (MRI) in magnetized Taylor-Couette flow in the presence of combined axial and azimuthal magnetic fields. The salient advantage of this "helical" MRI (HMRI) is that marginal instability occurs at arbitrarily low magnetic Reynolds and Lundquist numbers, suggesting that HMRI might be easier to realize than standard MRI (axial field only), and that it might be relevant to cooler astrophysical disks, especially those around protostars, which may be quite resistive. We confirm previous results for marginal stability and calculate HMRI growth rates. We show that in the resistive limit, HMRI is a weakly destabilized inertial oscillation propagating in a unique direction along the axis. But we report other features of HMRI that make it less attractive for experiments and for resistive astrophysical disks. Large axial currents are required. More fundamentally, instability of highly resistive flow is peculiar to infinitely long or periodic cylinders: finite cylinders with insulating endcaps are shown to be stable in this limit, at least if viscosity is neglected. Also, Keplerian rotation profiles are stable in the resistive limit regardless of axial boundary conditions. Nevertheless, the addition of a toroidal field lowers thresholds for instability even in finite cylinders.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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).

Competitions between Rayleigh-Taylor instability and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability with continuous density and velocity profiles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ye, W. H.; He, X. T.; CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871

2011-02-15

In this research, competitions between Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) in two-dimensional incompressible fluids within a linear growth regime are investigated analytically. Normalized linear growth rate formulas for both the RTI, suitable for arbitrary density ratio with continuous density profile, and the KHI, suitable for arbitrary density ratio with continuous density and velocity profiles, are obtained. The linear growth rates of pure RTI ({gamma}{sub RT}), pure KHI ({gamma}{sub KH}), and combined RTI and KHI ({gamma}{sub total}) are investigated, respectively. In the pure RTI, it is found that the effect of the finite thickness of the density transition layermore » (L{sub {rho}}) reduces the linear growth of the RTI (stabilizes the RTI). In the pure KHI, it is found that conversely, the effect of the finite thickness of the density transition layer increases the linear growth of the KHI (destabilizes the KHI). It is found that the effect of the finite thickness of the density transition layer decreases the ''effective'' or ''local'' Atwood number (A) for both the RTI and the KHI. However, based on the properties of {gamma}{sub RT}{proportional_to}{radical}(A) and {gamma}{sub KH}{proportional_to}{radical}(1-A{sup 2}), the effect of the finite thickness of the density transition layer therefore has a completely opposite role on the RTI and the KHI noted above. In addition, it is found that the effect of the finite thickness of the velocity shear layer (L{sub u}) stabilizes the KHI, and for the most cases, the combined effects of the finite thickness of the density transition layer and the velocity shear layer (L{sub {rho}=}L{sub u}) also stabilize the KHI. Regarding the combined RTI and KHI, it is found that there is a competition between the RTI and the KHI because of the completely opposite effect of the finite thickness of the density transition layer on these two kinds of instability. It is found that the competitions between the RTI and the KHI depend, respectively, on the Froude number, the density ratio of the light fluid to the heavy one, and the finite thicknesses of the density transition layer and the velocity shear layer. Furthermore, for the fixed Froude number, the linear growth rate ratio of the RTI to the KHI decreases with both the density ratio and the finite thickness of the density transition layer, but increases with the finite thickness of the velocity shear layer and the combined finite thicknesses of the density transition layer and the velocity shear layer (L{sub {rho}=}L{sub u}). In summary, our analytical results show that the effect of the finite thickness of the density transition layer stabilizes the RTI and the overall combined effects of the finite thickness of the density transition layer and the velocity shear layer (L{sub {rho}=}L{sub u}) also stabilize the KHI. Thus, it should be included in applications where the transition layer effect plays an important role, such as the formation of large-scale structures (jets) in high energy density physics and astrophysics and turbulent mixing.« less

Lithospheric Instability beneath the Southeast Carpathians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houseman, G. A.; Lorinczi, P.; Ren, Y.; Stuart, G. W.

2012-12-01

The South Carpathian Project, a major seismological experiment carried out during 2009-2011 by the University of Leeds, the National Institute of Earth Physics in Bucharest, the Eötvös Loránd Geophysical Institute in Budapest, and the Seismological Survey of Serbia in Belgrade, has resulted in the most detailed tomographic images yet obtained of the upper mantle structure beneath the Pannonian - Carpathian region (Ren et al., EPSL, 2012). These images illuminate the upper mantle over a wide region, but they specifically shed new light on the unique geological structure which is responsible for the damaging earthquakes that occur in the upper mantle beneath the Vrancea Zone of the South-east Carpathians. The earthquakes occur at the NE end of an asymmetric high velocity structure that extends upward to the SW, oblique to the southern edge of the South Carpathians. This sub-vertical high-velocity body is bounded by slow anomalies to the NW and SE, which extend down to the top of the Mantle Transition Zone. With increasing depth, the fast region becomes more circular in cross-section until about 400 km where the fast anomaly fades out. The main mass of fast (presumably dense) material is located directly beneath the seismic activity. The earthquakes are all characterised by near-vertical T-axes, which means they are caused by vertical stretching. The seismic moment release rate can be used to estimate vertical strain rates; these strain-rates imply that the mantle at 200 km is moving downward at about 20 mm/yr relative to the surface. The depth distribution of seismic-moment release rate follows a characteristic pattern that is most easily explained if this high velocity structure is produced by a Rayleigh-Taylor instability acting on an unstable stratification of mantle lithosphere above asthenosphere. Three-dimensional numerical experiments assuming viscous flow confirm that the drip-like structure that we image may be a natural consequence of a Rayleigh-Taylor instability triggered by recent convergence of Adria and Europe. One property of Rayleigh-Taylor instability is that rates of deformation increase with time during the peak development phase of the instability. The present high rate of tectonic activity in this region therefore is probably short-lived on a geological scale (< 1 Myr) but is likely to increase in energy before it is abates. These unique tomographic and seismological datasets provide clear evidence of lithospheric gravitational instability occurring on a short length-scale and fast time-scale via a mode that is best described as a form of Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

Short-time Lyapunov exponent analysis and the transition to chaos in Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vastano, John A.; Moser, Robert D.

1991-01-01

The physical mechanism driving the weakly chaotic Taylor-Couette flow is investigated using the short-time Liapunov exponent analysis. In this procedure, the transition from quasi-periodicity to chaos is studied using direct numerical 3D simulations of axially periodic Taylor-Couette flow, and a partial Liapunov exponent spectrum for the flow is computed by simultaneously advancing the full solution and a set of perturbations. It is shown that the short-time Liapunov exponent analysis yields more information on the exponents and dimension than that obtained from the common Liapunov exponent calculations. Results show that the chaotic state studied here is caused by a Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instability of the outflow boundary jet of Taylor vortices.

Three- and Two- Dimensional Simulations of Re-shock Experiments at High Energy Densities at the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ping; Raman, Kumar; MacLaren, Stephan; Huntington, Channing; Nagel, Sabrina

2016-10-01

We present simulations of recent high-energy-density (HED) re-shock experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The experiments study the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability growth that occurs after successive shocks transit a sinusoidally-perturbed interface between materials of different densities. The shock tube is driven at one or both ends using indirect-drive laser cavities or hohlraums. X-ray area-backlit imaging is used to visualize the growth at different times. Our simulations are done with the three-dimensional, radiation hydrodynamics code ARES, developed at LLNL. We show the instabilitygrowth rate, inferred from the experimental radiographs, agrees well with our 2D and 3D simulations. We also discuss some 3D geometrical effects, suggested by our simulations, which could deteriorate the images at late times, unless properly accounted for in the experiment design. Work supported by U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE- AC52-06NA27279. LLNL-ABS-680789.

Viscous Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikaelian, Karnig O.

2016-02-01

We consider viscous fluids in spherical geometry, a lighter fluid supporting a heavier one. Chandrasekhar [Q. J. Mech. Appl. Math. 8, 1 (1955), 10.1093/qjmam/8.1.1] analyzed this unstable configuration providing the equations needed to find, numerically, the exact growth rates for the ensuing Rayleigh-Taylor instability. He also derived an analytic but approximate solution. We point out a weakness in his approximate dispersion relation (DR) and offer a somewhat improved one. A third DR, based on transforming a planar DR into a spherical one, suffers no unphysical predictions and compares reasonably well with the exact work of Chandrasekhar and a more recent numerical analysis of the problem [Terrones and Carrara, Phys. Fluids 27, 054105 (2015), 10.1063/1.4921648].

Adverse Outcomes After Palliative Radiation Therapy for Uncomplicated Spine Metastases: Role of Spinal Instability and Single-Fraction Radiation Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lam, Tai-Chung, E-mail: lamtaichung@gmail.com; Uno, Hajime; Krishnan, Monica

2015-10-01

Purpose: Level I evidence demonstrates equivalent pain response after single-fraction (SF) or multifraction (MF) radiation therapy (RT) for bone metastases. The purpose of this study is to provide additional data to inform the incidence and predictors of adverse outcomes after RT for spine metastases. Methods and Materials: At a single institution, 299 uncomplicated spine metastases (without cord compression, prior RT, or surgery) treated with RT from 2008 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The spinal instability neoplastic score (SINS) was used to assess spinal instability. The primary outcome was time to first spinal adverse event (SAE) at the site, including symptomaticmore » vertebral fracture, hospitalization for site-related pain, salvage surgery, interventional procedure, new neurologic symptoms, or cord compression. Fine and Gray's multivariable model assessed associations of the primary outcome with SINS, SF RT, and other significant baseline factors. Propensity score matched analysis further assessed the relationship of SF RT to first SAEs. Results: The cumulative incidence of first SAE after SF RT (n=66) was 6.8% at 30 days, 16.9% at 90 days, and 23.6% at 180 days. For MF RT (n=233), the incidence was 3.5%, 6.4%, and 9.2%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, SF RT (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-5.2, P=.001) and SINS ≥11 (HR=2.5 , 95% CI 1.3-4.9, P=.007) were predictors of the incidence of first SAE. In propensity score matched analysis, first SAEs had developed in 22% of patients with SF RT versus 6% of those with MF RT cases (HR=3.9, 95% CI 1.6-9.6, P=.003) at 90 days after RT. Conclusion: In uncomplicated spinal metastases treated with RT alone, spinal instability with SINS ≥11 and SF RT were associated with a higher rate of SAEs.« less

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, M. L.; Liu, B.; Hu, R. H.

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 highermore » 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.« less

Effect of bromine-dopant on radiation-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability in plastic foil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Binbin; Ma, Yanyun; Yang, Xiaohu; Tang, Wenhui; Ge, Zheyi; Zhao, Yuan; Ke, Yanzhao; Kawata, Shiego

2017-10-01

Effects of bromine (Br) dopant on the growth of radiation-driven ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in plastic foils are studied by radiation hydrodynamics simulations and theoretical analysis. It is found that the Br-dopant in plastic foil reduces the seed of ablative RTI. The main reasons of the reduction are attributed to the smaller oscillation amplitude of ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) induced by the smaller post-shock sound speed, and the smaller oscillation frequency of ablative RMI induced by the smaller ablation velocity and blow-off plasma velocity. The Br-dopant also decreases the linear growth rate of ablative RTI due to the smaller acceleration. Treating the perturbation growth as a function of foil’s displacement, the perturbation growth would increase in Br-doped foil at the phase of ablative RTI, which is attributed to the decrease of the ablation velocity and the density gradient scale length. The results are helpful for further understanding the influence of high-Z dopant on the radiation-driven ablative RTI.

Effects of acceleration rate on Rayleigh-Taylor instability in elastic-plastic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Arindam; Polavarapu, Rinosh

2016-11-01

The effect of acceleration rate in the elastic-plastic transition stage of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an accelerated non-Newtonian material is investigated experimentally using a rotating wheel experiment. A non-Newtonian material (mayonnaise) was accelerated at different rates by varying the angular acceleration of a rotating wheel and growth patterns of single mode perturbations with different combinations of amplitude and wavelength were analyzed. Experiments were run at two different acceleration rates to compare with experiments presented in prior years at APS DFD meetings and the peak amplitude responses are captured using a high-speed camera. Similar to the instability acceleration, the elastic-plastic transition acceleration is found to be increasing with increase in acceleration rate for a given amplitude and wavelength. The experimental results will be compared to various analytical strength models and prior experimental studies using Newtonian fluids. Authors acknowledge funding support from Los Alamos National Lab subcontract(370333) and DOE-SSAA Grant (DE-NA0001975).

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Understanding the destabilizing role for surface tension in planar shear flows in terms of wave interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biancofiore, L.; Heifetz, E.; Hoepffner, J.; Gallaire, F.

2017-10-01

Both surface tension and buoyancy force in stable stratification act to restore perturbed interfaces back to their initial positions. Hence, both are intuitively considered as stabilizing agents. Nevertheless, the Taylor-Caulfield instability is a counterexample in which the presence of buoyancy forces in stable stratification destabilize shear flows. An explanation for this instability lies in the fact that stable stratification supports the existence of gravity waves. When two vertically separated gravity waves propagate horizontally against the shear, they may become phase locked and amplify each other to form a resonance instability. Surface tension is similar to buoyancy but its restoring mechanism is more efficient at small wavelengths. Here, we show how a modification of the Taylor-Caulfield configuration, including two interfaces between three stably stratified immiscible fluids, supports interfacial capillary gravity whose interaction yields resonance instability. Furthermore, when the three fluids have the same density, an instability arises solely due to a pure counterpropagating capillary wave resonance. The linear stability analysis predicts a maximum growth rate of the pure capillary wave instability for an intermediate value of surface tension corresponding to We-1=5 , where We denotes the Weber number. We perform direct numerical nonlinear simulation of this flow and find nonlinear destabilization when 2 ≤We-1≤10 , in good agreement with the linear stability analysis. The instability is present also when viscosity is introduced, although it is gradually damped and eventually quenched.

Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities in Turbulent Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimonte, G.

1998-11-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) and its shock driven analog, the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI), affect a wide variety of important phenomena from sub-terrainian to astrophysical environments. The ``fluids" are equally varied from plasmas and magnetic fields to elastic-plastic solids. In most applications, the instabilities occur with a complex acceleration history and evolve to a highly nonlinear state, making the theoretical description formidable. We will link the fluid and plasma regimes while describing the theoretical issues and basic experiments in different venues to isolate key physics issues. RMI experiments on the Nova laser investigate the affects of compressibility with strong radiatively driven shocks (Mach > 10) in near solid density plasmas of sub-millimeter scale. The growth of single sinusoidal and random 3-D perturbations are measured using backlit radiography. RTI experiments with the Linear Electric Motor (LEM) are conducted with a variety of acceleration (<< 10^4 m/s^2) histories and fluids of 10 cm scale. Turbulent RTI experiments with high Reynolds number liquids show self-similar growth which is characterized with laser induced fluorescence. LEM experiments with an elastic-plastic material (yogurt) exhibit a critical wavelength and amplitude for instability. The experimental results will be compared with linear and nonlinear theories and hydrodynamic simulations.

PREFACE: The 15th International Couette-Taylor Worskhop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 Research and the University Association of Mechanics have provided some support. Innocent Mutabazi and Olivier Crumeyrolle Proceedings editors Le Havre, France 15 July 2008

Linear stability of compressible Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, Kai-Hsiung; Chow, Chuen-Yen

1992-01-01

A temporal stability analysis of compressible Taylor-Couette flow is presented. The viscous flow studied in this paper is contained between two concentric cylinders of infinite length, which are rotating with different angular velocities and are kept at different surface temperatures. The effects of differential rotation and temperature difference on the stability of Taylor-Couette flow are contrasted for a range of Mach numbers ranging from incompressible to Mach 3.0. The relative motion of the cylinders dramatically affects the characteristics of the Couette flow at the onset of instability. The flow is stabilized or destabilized depending upon the temperature ratio and speeds of the two cylinders. Independent of Mach number and temperature ratio, increasing Reynolds number generally promotes a destabilizing effect, indicating the inviscid nature of the Taylor-Couette flow.

Universality Results for Multi-layer Radial Hele-Shaw Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daripa, Prabir; Gin, Craig; Daripa Research Team

2014-03-01

Saffman-Taylor instability is a well known viscosity driven instability of an interface separating two immiscible fluids. We study linear stability of this displacement process in multi-layer radial Hele-Shaw geometry involving an arbitrary number of immiscible fluid phases. Universal stability results have been obtained and applied to design displacement processes that are considerably less unstable than the pure Saffman-Taylor case. In particular, we derive universal formula which gives specific values of the viscosities of the fluid layers corresponding to smallest unstable band. Other similar universal results will also be presented. The talk is based on ongoing work. Supported by an NPRP Grant # 08-777-1-141 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of the Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Interfacial instability of wormlike micellar solutions sheared in a Taylor-Couette cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadigoushki, Hadi; Muller, Susan J.

2014-11-01

We report experiments on wormlike micellar solutions sheared in a custom-made Taylor-Couette (TC) cell. The computer controlled TC cell allows us to rotate both cylinders independently. Wormlike micellar solutions containing water, CTAB, and NaNo3 with different compositions are highly elastic and exhibit shear banding. We visualized the flow field in the θ-z as well as r-z planes, using multiple cameras. When subject to low shear rates, the flow is stable and azimuthal, but becomes unstable above a certain threshold shear rate. This shear rate coincides with the onset of shear banding. Visualizing the θ-z plane shows that this instability is characterized by stationary bands equally spaced in the z direction. Increasing the shear rate results to larger wave lengths. Above a critical shear rate, experiments reveal a chaotic behavior reminiscent of elastic turbulence. We also studied the effect of ramp speed on the onset of instability and report an acceleration below which the critical Weissenberg number for onset of instability is unaffected. Moreover, visualizations in the r-z direction reveals that the interface between the two bands undulates with shear bands evolving towards the outer cylinder regardless of which cylinder is rotating.

An instability in neutron stars at birth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrows, Adam; Fryxell, Bruce A.

1992-01-01

Calculations with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation show that a generic Raleigh-Taylor-like instability occurs in the mantles of nascent neutron stars, that it is possibly violent, and that the standard spherically symmetric models of neutron star birth and supernova explosion may be inadequate. Whether this 'convective' instability is pivotal to the supernova mechanism, pulsar nagnetic fields, or a host of other important issues that attend stellar collapse remains to be seen, but its existence promises to modify all questions concerning this most energetic of astronomical phenomena.

Laboratory Study of Magnetorotational Instability and Hydrodynamic Stability at Large Reynolds Numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ji, H.; Burin, M.; Schartman, E.; Goodman, J.; Liu, W.

2006-01-01

Two plausible mechanisms have been proposed to explain rapid angular momentum transport during accretion processes in astrophysical disks: nonlinear hydrodynamic instabilities and magnetorotational instability (MRI). A laboratory experiment in a short Taylor-Couette flow geometry has been constructed in Princeton to study both mechanisms, with novel features for better controls of the boundary-driven secondary flows (Ekman circulation). Initial results on hydrodynamic stability have shown negligible angular momentum transport in Keplerian-like flows with Reynolds numbers approaching one million, casting strong doubt on the viability of nonlinear hydrodynamic instability as a source for accretion disk turbulence.

Evolution of Patterns in Rotating Bénard Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fantz, M.; Friedrich, R.; Bestehorn, M.; Haken, H.

We present an extension of the Swift-Hohenberg equation to the case of a high Prandtl number Bénard experiment in rotating fluid containers. For the case of circular containers we find complex spatio-temporal behaviour at Taylor numbers smaller than the critical one for the onset of the Küppers-Lortz instability. Furthermore, above the critical Taylor number the experimentally well-known time dependent and spatially disordered patterns in form of local patches of rolls are reproduced.

Rayleigh-Taylor mixing in supernova experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swisher, N. C.; Abarzhi, S. I., E-mail: snezhana.abarzhi@gmail.com; Kuranz, C. C.

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 properlymore » 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.« less

Electrothermal instability growth in magnetically driven pulsed power liners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2012-09-01

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.

Can the magnetic field in the Orion arm inhibit the growth of instabilities in the bow shock of Betelgeuse?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Marle, A. J.; Decin, L.; Meliani, Z.

2014-01-01

Context. Many evolved stars travel through space at supersonic velocities, which leads to the formation of bow shocks ahead of the star where the stellar wind collides with the interstellar medium (ISM). Herschel observations of the bow shock of α-Orionis show that the shock is almost free of instabilities, despite being, at least in theory, subject to both Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. Aims: A possible explanation for the lack of instabilities lies in the presence of an interstellar magnetic field. We wish to investigate whether the magnetic field of the ISM in the Orion arm can inhibit the growth of instabilities in the bow shock of α-Orionis. Methods: We used the code MPI-AMRVAC to make magneto-hydrodynamic simulations of a circumstellar bow shock, using the wind parameters derived for α-Orionis and interstellar magnetic field strengths of B = 1.4, 3.0, and 5.0 μG, which fall within the boundaries of the observed magnetic field strength in the Orion arm of the Milky Way. Results: Our results show that even a relatively weak magnetic field in the ISM can suppress the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, which occur along the contact discontinuity between the shocked wind and the shocked ISM. Conclusions: The presence of even a weak magnetic field in the ISM effectively inhibits the growth of instabilities in the bow shock. This may explain the absence of such instabilities in the Herschel observations of α-Orionis. Appendix A and associated movies are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

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

PubMed

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.

Nonlinear saturation amplitude of cylindrical Rayleigh—Taylor instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wan-Hai; Yu, Chang-Ping; Ye, Wen-Hua; Wang, Li-Feng

2014-09-01

The nonlinear saturation amplitude (NSA) of the fundamental mode in the classical Rayleigh—Taylor instability with a cylindrical geometry for an arbitrary Atwood number is analytically investigated by considering the nonlinear corrections up to the third order. The analytic results indicate that the effects of the initial radius of the interface (r0) and the Atwood number (A) play an important role in the NSA of the fundamental mode. The NSA of the fundamental mode first increases gently and then decreases quickly with increasing A. For a given A, the smaller the r0/λ (λ is the perturbation wavelength), the larger the NSA of the fundamental mode. When r0/λ is large enough (r0 ≫ λ), the NSA of the fundamental mode is reduced to the prediction in the previous literatures within the framework of the third-order perturbation theory.

Dynamic stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability: Experiments with Newtonian fluids as surrogates for ablation fronts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodriguez Prieto, G.; Piriz, A. R.; Lopez Cela, J. J.

2013-01-15

A previous theory on dynamic stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability at interfaces between Newtonian fluids is reformulated in order to make evident the analogy of this problem with the related one on dynamic stabilization of ablation fronts in the framework of inertial confinement fusion. Explicit analytical expressions are obtained for the boundaries of the dynamically stable region which turns out to be completely analogue to the stability charts obtained for the case of ablation fronts. These results allow proposing experiments with Newtonian fluids as surrogates for studying the case of ablation fronts. Experiments with Newtonian fluids are presented which demonstrate themore » validity of the theoretical approach and encourage to pursue experimental research on ablation fronts to settle the feasibility of dynamic stabilization in the inertial confinement fusion scenario.« less

Universality Results for Multi-phase Hele-Shaw Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daripa, Prabir

2013-03-01

Saffman-Taylor instability is a well known viscosity driven instability of an interface separating two immiscible fluids. We study linear stability of displacement processes in a Hele-Shaw cell involving an arbitrary number of immiscible fluid phases. This is a problem involving many interfaces. Universal stability results have been obtained for this multi-phase immiscible flow in the sense that the results hold for arbitrary number of interfaces. These stability results have been applied to design displacement processes that are considerably less unstable than the pure Saffman-Taylor case. In particular, we derive universal formula which gives specific values of the viscosities of the fluid layers corresponding to smallest unstable band. Other similar universal results will also be presented. The talk is based on the following paper. This work was supported by the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation).

Effects of Phase Transformations and Dynamic Material Strength on Hydrodynamic Instability Evolution in Metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Opie, Saul

Hydrodynamic phenomena such as the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities can be described by exponential/linear growth of surface perturbations at a bimaterial interface when subjected to constant/impulsive acceleration. A challenge in designing systems to mitigate or exploit these effects is the lack of accurate material models at large dynamic strain rates and pressures. In particular, little stress-strain constitutive information at large strain rates and pressures is available for transient material phases formed at high pressures, and the continuum effect the phase transformation process has on the instability evolution. In this work, a phase-aware isotropic strength model is developed and partially validated with a novel RM-based instability experiment in addition to existing data from the literature. With the validated material model additional simulations are performed to provide insight into to the role that robust material constitutive behavior (e.g., pressure, temperature, rate dependence) has on RM instability and how RM instability experiments can be used to characterize and validated expected material behavior. For phase aware materials, particularly iron in this work, the simulations predict a strong dependence on the Atwood number that single phase materials do not have. At Atwood numbers close to unity, and pressures in the high pressure stability region, the high pressure phase dominates the RM evolution. However, at Atwood numbers close to negative one, the RM evolution is only weakly affected by the high-pressure phase even for shocks well above the phase transformation threshold. In addition to RM evolution this work looks at the closely related shock front perturbation evolution. Existing analytical models for isentropic processes in gases and liquids are modified for metal equation of states and plastic behavior for the first time. It is found that the presence of a volume collapsing phase transformation with increased pressure causes shock front perturbations to decay sooner, while plastic strength has the opposite effect which is significantly different from the effect viscosity has. These results suggest additional experimental setups to validate material models, or relevant material parameters that can be optimized for system design objectives, e.g., minimize feed through perturbations in inertial confinement fusion capsules.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sengupta, Tapan K., E-mail: tksen@iitk.ac.in; Bhole, Ashish; Shruti, K. S.

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 approximationmore » 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.« less

An experimental study of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability critical wave length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Xujing; Wang, Youchun; Zhang, Shufei; Xu, Hongkun

1992-06-01

A physical model has been constructed to represent the condensate film pattern on a horizontal downward-facing surface with fins, which is based on visual observation in experiment. The results of analysis using this model confirms the validity of the critical wave length formula obtained from Rayleigh-Taylor stability analysis. This formula may be used as a criterion to design horizontal downward-facing surfaces with fins that can best destabilize the condensate film, thus enhancing condensation heat transfer.

The nonlinear interaction of Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Taylor-Goertler vortices in curved channel flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, P.; Smith, F. T.

1987-01-01

It is known that a viscous fluid flow with curved streamlines can support both Tollmien-Schlichting and Taylor-Goertler instabilities. In a situation where both modes are possible on the basis of linear theory a nonlinear theory must be used to determine the effect of the interaction of the instabilities. The details of this interaction are of practical importance because of its possible catastrophic effects on mechanisms used for laminar flow control. This interaction is studied in the context of fully developed flows in curved channels. A part form technical differences associated with boundary layer growth the structures of the instabilities in this flow are very similar to those in the practically more important external boundary layer situation. The interaction is shown to have two distinct phases depending on the size of the disturbances. At very low amplitudes two oblique Tollmein-Schlichting waves interact with a Goertler vortex in such a manner that the amplitudes become infinite at a finite time. This type of interaction is described by ordinary differential amplitude equations with quadratic nonlinearities.

Sedimentation and gravitational instability of Escherichia coli Suspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douarche, Carine; Salin, Dominique; Collaboration between Laboratory FAST; LPS Collaboration

2016-11-01

The successive run and tumble of Escherichia coli bacteria provides an active matter suspension of rod-like particles with a large swimming diffusion. As opposed to inactive elongated particles, this diffusion prevents clustering and 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. Analyzing 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.

Studies of fluid instabilities in flows of lava and debris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Jonathan H.

1987-01-01

At least two instabilities have been identified and utilized in lava flow studies: surface folding and gravity instability. Both lead to the development of regularly spaced structures on the surfaces of lava flows. The geometry of surface folds have been used to estimate the rheology of lava flows on other planets. One investigation's analysis assumed that lava flows have a temperature-dependent Newtonian rheology, and that the lava's viscosity decreased exponentially inward from the upper surface. The author reviews studies by other investigators on the analysis of surface folding, the analysis of Taylor instability in lava flows, and the effect of surface folding on debris flows.

Weakly Nonlinear Rayleigh–Taylor Instability in Cylindrically Convergent Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Hong-Yu; Wang, Li-Feng; Ye, Wen-Hua; Wu, Jun-Feng; Zhang, Wei-Yan

2018-05-01

Not Available Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 11275031, 11475034, 11575033 and 11274026, and the National Basic Research Program of China under Grant No 2013CB834100.

Coupling between velocity and interface perturbations in cylindrical Rayleigh–Taylor instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Hong-Yu; Wang, Li-Feng; Ye, Wen-Hua; Wu, Jun-Feng; Zhang, Wei-Yan

2018-05-01

Not Available Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11275031, 11475034, 11575033, and 11274026) and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2013CB834100).

Electrohydrodynamic instabilities of viscous drops*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlahovska, Petia M.

2016-10-01

A classic result due to Taylor is that a weakly conducting drop bearing zero net charge placed in a uniform electric field adopts a prolate or oblate spheroidal shape, the flow and shape being axisymmetrically aligned with the applied field. Here I overview some intriguing symmetry-breaking instabilities occurring in strong applied dc fields: Quincke rotation resulting in drop steady tilt or tumbling, and pattern formation on the surface of a particle-coated drop.

Interfacial instability of wormlike micellar solutions sheared in a Taylor-Couette cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadigoushki, Hadi; Muller, Susan J.

2014-10-01

We report experiments on wormlike micellar solutions sheared in a custom-made Taylor-Couette (TC) cell. The computer controlled TC cell allows us to rotate both cylinders independently. Wormlike micellar solutions containing water, CTAB, and NaNo3 with different compositions are highly elastic and exhibit shear banding within a range of shear rate. We visualized the flow field in the θ-z as well as r-z planes, using multiple cameras. When subject to low shear rates, the flow is stable and azimuthal, but becomes unstable above a certain threshold shear rate. This shear rate coincides with the onset of shear banding. Visualizing the θ-z plane shows that this instability is characterized by stationary bands equally spaced in the z direction. Increasing the shear rate results to larger wave lengths. Above a critical shear rate, experiments reveal a chaotic behavior reminiscent of elastic turbulence. We also studied the effect of ramp speed on the onset of instability and report an acceleration below which the critical Weissenberg number for onset of instability is unaffected. Moreover, visualizations in the r-z direction reveals that the interface between the two bands undulates. The shear band evolves towards the outer cylinder upon increasing the shear rate, regardless of which cylinder is rotating.

Potential Flow Model for Compressible Stratified Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Universality Results for Multi-Layer Hele-Shaw and Porous Media Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daripa, Prabir

2012-11-01

Saffman-Taylor instability is a well known viscosity driven instability of an interface. Motivated by a need to understand the effect of various injection policies currently in practice for chemical enhanced oil recovery, we study linear stability of displacement processes in a Hele-Shaw cell involving injection of an arbitrary number of immiscible fluid phases in succession. This is a problem involving many interfaces. Universal stability results have been obtained for this multi-layer (multi-region) flow in the sense that the results hold with arbitrary number of interfaces. These stability results have been applied to design injection policies that are considerably less unstable than the pure Saffman-Taylor case. In particular, we determine specific values of the viscosity of the fluid layers corresponding to smallest unstable band. Moreover, we discuss universal selection principle of optimal viscous profiles. The talk is based on following papers. Qatar National Fund (a member of the Qatar Foundation).

Volcanism by melt-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and possible consequences of melting for admittance ratios on Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tackley, P. J.; Stevenson, D. J.; Scott, D. R.

1992-01-01

A large number of volcanic features exist on Venus, ranging from tens of thousands of small domes to large shields and coronae. It is difficult to reconcile all these with an explanation involving deep mantle plumes, since a number of separate arguments lead to the conclusion that deep mantle plumes reaching the base of the lithosphere must exceed a certain size. In addition, the fraction of basal heating in Venus' mantle may be significantly lower than in Earth's mantle reducing the number of strong plumes from the core-mantle boundary. In three-dimensional convection simulations with mainly internal heating, weak, distributed upwellings are usually observed. We present an alternative mechanism for such volcanism, originally proposed for the Earth and for Venus, involving Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities driven by melt buoyancy, occurring spontaneously in partially or incipiently molten regions.

Size invariance of the granular Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

PubMed

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.

Saffman-Taylor Instability for a non-Newtonian fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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).

Pattern formation in rotating Bénard convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fantz, M.; Friedrich, R.; Bestehorn, M.; Haken, H.

1992-12-01

Using an extension of the Swift-Hohenberg equation we study pattern formation in the Bénard experiment close to the onset of convection in the case of rotating cylindrical fluid containers. For small Taylor numbers we emphasize the existence of slowly rotating patterns and describe behaviour exhibiting defect motion. Finally, we study pattern formation close to the Küppers-Lortz instability. The instability is nucleated at defects and proceeds through front propagation into the bulk patterns.

Hyper-resistive forced magnetic reconnection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vekstein, G., E-mail: g.vekstein@manchester.ac.uk

We study Taylor's model of forced magnetic reconnection mediated by plasma hyper-resistivity. This includes both linear and nonlinear regimes of the process. It is shown how the onset of plasmoid instability occurs in the strongly nonlinear regime of forced reconnection.

The investigation of flow instabilities on a rotating disk with curvature in the radial direction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Intemann, P. A.; Clarkson, M. H.

1982-01-01

The major objective is to explore any visible differences of the flow field with wall curvature of the test body, including possible interaction between Taylor-Gortler instabilities present along concave walls and the inflexional instabilities investigated here. An experimental study was conducted with emphasis placed on making visual observations and recording photographically the flow instabilities present under three different rotating bodies: a flat disk, a concave paraboloid, and a convex paraboloid. The data collected for the three test bodies lead to the conclusion that the wall curvature of the concave and convex paraboloids did not alter the observed flow field significantly from that observed on the flat disk.

Intermittency and Topology of Shock Induced Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tellez, Jackson; Redondo, Jose M.; Ben Mahjoub, Otman; Malik, Nadeem; Vila, Teresa

2016-04-01

The advance of a Rayleigh-Taylor front is described in Linden & Redondo (1991),[1-3] and may be shown to follow a quadratic law in time where the width of the growing region of instability depends on the local mixing efficiency of the different density fluids that accelerate against each other g is the acceleration and A is the Atwood number defined as the diference of densities divided by their sum. This results show the independence of the large amplitude structures on the initial conditions the width of the mixing region depends also on the intermittency of the turbulence. Then dimensional analysis may also depend on the relevant reduced acceleration driven time and the molecular reactive time akin to Damkholer number and the fractal structure of the contact zone [2,4]. Detailed experiments and simulations on RT and RM shock induced fronts analized with respect to structure functions are able to determine which mechanisms are most effective in local mixing which increase the effective fractal dimension, as well as the effect of higher order geometrical parameters, such as the structure functions, in non-homogeneous fluids (Mahjoub et al 1998)[5]. The structure of a Mixing blob shows a relatively sharp head with most of the mixing taking place at the sides due to what seems to be shear instability very similar to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, but with sideways accelerations. The formation of the blobs and spikes with their secondary instabilities produces a turbulent cascade, evident just after about 1 non-dimensional time unit, from a virtual time origin that takes into account the linear growth phase, as can be seen by the growth of the fractal dimension for different volume fractions. Two-dimensional cuts of the 3D flow also show that vortex flows have closed or spiral streamlines around their core. Examples of such flows can be also seen in the laboratory, for example at the interface of atwo-layer stratified fluid in a tank in which case streamlines are more regular. Mixing in turbulent flows remains less well understood, and in spite research some basic problems are still virtually unexplored. Th e indications suggest that mixing in non-decaying and accelerating turbulent flows are different from those in vortical and steady flows. Fluid element pairs separate, neither linearly nor exponentially but according to a generalized intermittent Richardson's law. Fractal analysis in the laboratory shows that fluid element pairs travel close to each other for a long time until they separate quite suddenly suggest that straining regions around hyperbolic points play an important role in the violent turbulent stirring and in the mechanisms by which turbulence causes fluid element pairs to move apart [6,7]. So the eddies that are most effective in separating fluid elements are those that have a size comparable to the instantaneous separation between the two fluid elements. This is seen in both RT and RM instabilities. For a constant acceleration, the RT instability is found to grow self -similarly according to mixing coefficients which when measured over a comprehensive range of density ratio (Atwood nubers)show that the results are found applicable to supernova exlposions.For an impulsive acceleration (RM), there are two components. The RM impulse from a shock is greatly reduced at high Mach number due to compressive effects in reasonable agreement with linear theory. The ensuing motion is essentially incompressible and described by a power law However, the exponents obtained from the compressible RM experiments are larger than those obtained from incompressible RT experiments. The discrepancy is not well understood but intermittency differences could explain the role of compressibility in fractal media. [1] Linden P.F., Redondo J.M. and Youngs D. (1994) Molecular mixing in Rayleigh-Taylor Instability. Jour. Fluid Mech. 265, 97-124. [2] Redondo, J.M., 1990. The structure of density interfaces. Ph.D. Thesis. DAMTP, University of Cambridge. Cambridge [3] Redondo J.M. (1996) Vertical microstructure and mixing in stratified flows. Advances in Turbulence VI. Eds. S. Gavrilakis et al. 605-608. [4] Redondo J.M.,M.A. Sanchez y R. Castilla (2000) Vortical structures in stratified turbulent flows, Turbulent diffusion in the environment. Eds. Redondo J.M. and Babiano A. 113-120. [5] Mahjoub, O. B., Babiano A. and Redondo, J. M.: Structure functions in complex flows, Flow, Turbulence and Combustion, 59,299-313, 1998. [6] Malik, N.A. Vassilicos, J.C. 1999 A Lagrangian model of turbulent dispersion with turbulent-like flow structure: comparison with direct numerical simulation for two-particle statistics. Phys. Fluids, 11, 1572-1580. [7] Fung, J.C.H., Hunt, J.C.R., Malik, N.A. and Perkins, R.J.(1992. Kinematic simulation of homogeneous turbulence by unsteady random Fourier modes. J. Fluid Mech.236-281. [8] Tarquis, A. M., Platonov, A., Matulka, A., Grau, J., Sekula, E., Diez, M., & Redondo, J. M. (2014). Application of multifractal analysis to the study of SAR features and oil spills on the ocean surface. Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics, 21(2), 439-450. [9] Fraunie, P., Berreba, S., Chashechkin, Y. D., Velasco, D., & Redondo, J. M. (2008). Large eddy simulation and laboratory experiments on the decay of grid wakes in strongly stratified flows. Nuovo Cimento C, 31, 909-930.

Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities as a Mechanism for Coronae Formation on Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoogenboom, T.; Houseman, G. A.

2002-12-01

Coronae are Venusian quasi-circular volcano-tectonic features that range in size from 60km-1000km. They are believed to form over small-scale mantle upwellings. Previous models of corona formation can best match the observed topographic morphology when the upwellings cause the cold, dense lower lithosphere to delaminate, sinking into the mantle and deforming the surface. These complex evolutionary models can predict the general topography of most classes of coronae and can also account for most of the deformation observed around coronae. The size and depth at which these plumes might originate is unclear, however, and the relatively close spacing of coronae is surprising if these plumes originate from deep in the mantle. We here investigate an alternative causal mechanism for coronae based on the idea that gravitational instability of the dense mantle lithosphere could also explain the observed topography and gravity. In Rayleigh-Taylor instability, coupled downwelling and upwelling develops from an initial perturbation in lithospheric thickness. Recent analysis of gravity data suggests that deformation of the crustal layer may play an important role in causing surface topography for coronae and explaining volcano-tectonic deformation features. We examine the role of crustal thickness in forming specific corona morphologies using "basil", a 2D finite deformation program adapted to calculate viscous deformation assuming cylindrical axisymmetry. Instantaneous flow fields are integrated forward in time in order to compute the final strain field. Rayleigh-Taylor instability with imposed cylindrical axisymmetry produces either central depression surrounded by a positive topographic annulus (or vice-versa). If deformation is small we observe that linear growth rates q are the same for either form of the instability. We find this rate to be maximum at wavenumber k=2.5 for rigid boundary models, but the wavelength of deformation lengthens to k=0.32 for free-slip boundaries. When a low density crust is added (crust viscosity = mantle viscosity), we observe that surface topography above a central downwelling evolves from an initial central depression to central uplift surrounded by a depressed annular region, and find that the growth rate is now maximum at k=1.3 for free-slip boundaries. Adding a low density crust reduces q for all k as the buoyant crustal layer inhibits the growth of the instability. Whether the surface is elevated or depressed depends on crustal buoyancy and crustal viscosity.

Thin film instabilities: Rayleigh-Taylor with thermocapillarity and Kolmogorov flow in a soap film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, John Matthew

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurs when a more dense fluid layer is suspended above a less dense fluid layer in a gravitational field. The horizontal interface between the two fluids is unstable to infinitesimal deformations and the dense fluid falls. To counteract the destabilizing effects of gravity on the interface between two thin fluid layers, we apply a vertical temperature gradient, heating from below. The dependence of surface tension on temperature (``thermocapillarity'') can cause spatially-varying interfacial forces between two immiscible fluid layers if a variation in temperature along the interface is introduced. With an applied vertical temperature gradient, the deforming interface spontaneously develops temperature variations which locally adjust the surface tension to restore a flat interface. We find that these surface tension gradients can stabilize a more dense thin fluid layer (silicone oil, 0.015 cm thick) above a less dense thin fluid layer (air, 0.025 cm thick) in a gravitational field, in qualitative agreement with linear stability analysis. This is the first experimental observation of the stabilization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability by thermocapillary forces. We also examine the instability of a soap film flow driven by a time-independent force that is spatially periodic in the direction perpendicular to the forcing (Kolmogorov flow). The film is in the x- y plane, where the forcing approximates a shape sin (y)x̂. Linear stability analysis of an idealized model of this flow predicts a critical Reynolds number Rc~2 . In our soap film experiment, we find a critical value Rc~70 . This discrepancy can be ascribed to frictional effects from viscous coupling of gas to the film, which is neglected in the idealized model. The kinematic viscosity of the surrounding gas and the thickness of gas layers on each side of the soap film are varied in the experiments to better understand these frictional effects. We conclude that flows in soap films cannot be decoupled from flows in the surrounding gas.

Shock interaction with a two-gas interface in a novel dual-driver shock tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labenski, John R.

Fluid instabilities exist at the interface between two fluids having different densities if the flow velocity and density gradient are anti-parallel or if a shock wave crosses the boundary. The former case is called the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability and the latter, the Richtmyer-Meshkov (R-M) instability. Small initial perturbations on the interface destabilize and grow into larger amplitude structures leading to turbulent mixing. Instabilities of this type are seen in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments, laser produced plasmas, supernova explosions, and detonations. A novel dual-driver shock tube was used to investigate the growth rate of the R-M instability. One driver is used to create an argon-refrigerant interface, and the other at the opposite end of the driven section generates a shock to force the interface with compressible flows behind the shock. The refrigerant gas in the first driver is seeded with sub-micron oil droplets for visualization of the interface. The interface travels down the driven section past the test section for a fixed amount of time. A stronger shock of Mach 1.1 to 1.3 drives the interface back past the test section where flow diagnostics are positioned. Two schlieren systems record the density fluctuations while light scattering detectors record the density of the refrigerant as a function of position over the interface. A pair of digital cameras take stereo images of the interface, as mapped out by the tracer particles under illumination by a Q-switched ruby laser. The amount of time that the interface is allowed to travel up the driven section determines the interaction time as a control. Comparisons made between the schlieren signals, light scattering detector outputs, and the images quantify the fingered characteristics of the interface and its growth due to shock forcing. The results show that the interface has a distribution of thickness and that the interaction with a shock further broadens the interface. The growth rate was found to exhibit a dependence on the shock strength.

Evolution of a double-front Rayleigh-Taylor system using a graphics-processing-unit-based high-resolution thermal lattice-Boltzmann model.

PubMed

Ripesi, P; Biferale, L; Schifano, S F; Tripiccione, R

2014-04-01

We study the turbulent evolution originated from a system subjected to a Rayleigh-Taylor instability with a double density at high resolution in a two-dimensional geometry using a highly optimized thermal lattice-Boltzmann code for GPUs. Our investigation's initial condition, given by the superposition of three layers with three different densities, leads to the development of two Rayleigh-Taylor fronts that expand upward and downward and collide in the middle of the cell. By using high-resolution numerical data we highlight the effects induced by the collision of the two turbulent fronts in the long-time asymptotic regime. We also provide details on the optimized lattice-Boltzmann code that we have run on a cluster of GPUs.

Nonlinear Excitation of the Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability for All Wave Numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, H.; Betti, R.; Gopalaswamy, V.; Aluie, H.; Yan, R.

2017-10-01

Small-scale modes of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (ARTI) are often neglected because they are linearly stable when their wavelength is shorter than a linear cutoff. Using 2-D and 3-D numerical simulations, it is shown that linearly stable modes of any wavelength can be destabilized. This instability regime requires finite amplitude initial perturbations. Compared to 2-D, linearly stable ARTI modes are more easily destabilized in 3-D and the penetrating bubbles have a higher density because of enhanced vorticity. It is shown that for conditions found in laser fusion targets, short-wavelength ARTI modes are more efficient at driving mixing of ablated material throughout the target since the nonlinear bubble density increases with the wave number and small-scale bubbles carry a larger mass flux of mixed material. This work was supported by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences Nos. DE-FG02-04ER54789, DE-SC0014318, the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award No. DE-NA0001944, the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion of Spain (Grant No. ENE2011-28489), and the NANL LDRD program through Project Number 20150568ER.

Nonlinear viscoelasticity of entangled wormlike micellar fluid under large-amplitude oscillatory shear: Role of elastic Taylor-Couette instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majumdar, Sayantan; Sood, A. K.

2014-06-01

The role of elastic Taylor-Couette flow instabilities in the dynamic nonlinear viscoelastic response of an entangled wormlike micellar fluid is studied by large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) rheology and in situ polarized light scattering over a wide range of strain and angular frequency values, both above and below the linear crossover point. Well inside the nonlinear regime, higher harmonic decomposition of the resulting stress signal reveals that the normalized third harmonic I3/I1 shows a power-law behavior with strain amplitude. In addition, I3/I1 and the elastic component of stress amplitude σ0E show a very prominent maximum at the strain value where the number density (nv) of the Taylor vortices is maximum. A subsequent increase in applied strain (γ) results in the distortions of the vortices and a concomitant decrease in nv, accompanied by a sharp drop in I3 and σ0E. The peak position of the spatial correlation function of the scattered intensity along the vorticity direction also captures the crossover. Lissajous plots indicate an intracycle strain hardening for the values of γ corresponding to the peak of I3, similar to that observed for hard-sphere glasses.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 experiments in cryogenic deuterium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, J. F.; Smalyuk, V. A.

2005-10-01

We report on experiments under way at the Omega laser, using cryogenic deuterium to study Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in laser targets. These instabilities are important in astrophysical situations (e.g., mixing of the different shells during a supernova explosion) and in inertial fusion (during the compression stage of a fusion target). They can be studied in small (˜1 mm) shock tubes filled with one heavy and one light material, with an interface between the two materials that is machined to seed the instability. A high-energy laser (˜5 kJ) drives a shock from the heavy to the light material. The evolution of the interface is studied using gated x-ray cameras, where x-ray illumination is obtained from additional laser beams focused on metal backlighter foils. Traditionally the heavy material is CH (1 g/cm^3) doped with I or Br for improved contrast, while the light material is a low-density (˜0.1 g/cm^3) C foam. The goal of the current experiments is to determine if contrast can be improved even further by replacing the foam with cryogenic deuterium, which has a density similar to the foam, but a lower x-ray opacity allowing clearer images, including images taken at late times in the evolution. Work performed under the auspices of the Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract number W-7405-ENG-48.

Rayleigh-Taylor Instability as the Reason for the Particle Acceleration and Plasma Heating in Solar Chromosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanov, Alexander; Zaitsev, Valerii

New mechanism of electron acceleration in the solar chromosphere and chromospheric plasma heating is proposed. The main role in acceleration and heating belongs to the Rayleigh-Tailor instability. Ballooning mode of the instability develops at the chromospheric footpoints of a flare loop and deforms here the magnetic field. Thus the electric current flowing in the loop changes and an inductive electric field appears. This electric field is the reason for the acceleration of 300-500 keV electrons which do not escape from the chromosphere, providing the excitation of plasma waves and the heating of chromospheric plasma in situ. Observations with New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory (Ji et al. ApJ 750, L25, 2012) give us good evidences on the heating of chromospheric footpoints of coronal loops to the coronal temperatures as well as upward injection of hot plasma that excite the fine loops from the photosphere to the base of the corona. We discuss also other consequences of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability: non-thermal plasma emission at 212 and 405 GHz from the ionized chromosphere with the electron density as high as 10 (15) cm (-3) (Zaitsev et al. Astron.Lett. 39, 650, 2013), and the model of sub-second pulsations at THz observed by Kaufmann et al. (ApJ 697, 420, 2009).

Transverse electron-scale instability in relativistic shear flows.

PubMed

Alves, E P; Grismayer, T; Fonseca, R A; Silva, L O

2015-08-01

Electron-scale surface waves are shown to be unstable in the transverse plane of a sheared flow in an initially unmagnetized collisionless plasma, not captured by (magneto)hydrodynamics. It is found that these unstable modes have a higher growth rate than the closely related electron-scale Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in relativistic shears. Multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations verify the analytic results and further reveal the emergence of mushroomlike electron density structures in the nonlinear phase of the instability, similar to those observed in the Rayleigh Taylor instability despite the great disparity in scales and different underlying physics. This transverse electron-scale instability may play an important role in relativistic and supersonic sheared flow scenarios, which are stable at the (magneto)hydrodynamic level. Macroscopic (≫c/ωpe) fields are shown to be generated by this microscopic shear instability, which are relevant for particle acceleration, radiation emission, and to seed magnetohydrodynamic processes at long time scales.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo investigation of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

DOE PAGES

Gallis, Michail A.; Koehler, Timothy P.; Torczynski, John R.; ...

2015-08-14

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) is investigated using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method of molecular gas dynamics. Here, fully resolved two-dimensional DSMC RTI simulations are performed to quantify the growth of flat and single-mode perturbed interfaces between two atmospheric-pressure monatomic gases as a function of the Atwood number and the gravitational acceleration. The DSMC simulations reproduce all qualitative features of the RTI and are in reasonable quantitative agreement with existing theoretical and empirical models in the linear, nonlinear, and self-similar regimes. At late times, the instability is seen to exhibit a self-similar behavior, in agreement with experimental observations. Formore » the conditions simulated, diffusion can influence the initial instability growth significantly.« less

Rarefaction-driven Rayleigh–Taylor instability. Part 1. Diffuse-interface linear stability measurements and theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, R. V.; Likhachev, O. A.; Jacobs, J. W.

Theory and experiments are reported that explore the behaviour of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability initiated with a diffuse interface. Experiments are performed in which an interface between two gases of differing density is made unstable by acceleration generated by a rarefaction wave. Well-controlled, diffuse, two-dimensional and three-dimensional, single-mode perturbations are generated by oscillating the gases either side to side, or vertically for the three-dimensional perturbations. The puncturing of a diaphragm separating a vacuum tank beneath the test section generates a rarefaction wave that travels upwards and accelerates the interface downwards. This rarefaction wave generates a large, but non-constant, acceleration of the order ofmore » $$1000g_{0}$$, where$$g_{0}$$is the acceleration due to gravity. Initial interface thicknesses are measured using a Rayleigh scattering diagnostic and the instability is visualized using planar laser-induced Mie scattering. Growth rates agree well with theoretical values, and with the inviscid, dynamic diffusion model of Duffet al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 5, 1962, pp. 417–425) when diffusion thickness is accounted for, and the acceleration is weighted using inviscid Rayleigh–Taylor theory. The linear stability formulation of Chandrasekhar (Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc., vol. 51, 1955, pp. 162–178) is solved numerically with an error function diffusion profile using the Riccati method. This technique exhibits good agreement with the dynamic diffusion model of Duffet al. for small wavenumbers, but produces larger growth rates for large-wavenumber perturbations. Asymptotic analysis shows a$$1/k^{2}$$decay in growth rates as$$k\\rightarrow \\infty$$for large-wavenumber perturbations.« less

Rarefaction-driven Rayleigh–Taylor instability. Part 1. Diffuse-interface linear stability measurements and theory

DOE PAGES

Morgan, R. V.; Likhachev, O. A.; Jacobs, J. W.

2016-02-15

Theory and experiments are reported that explore the behaviour of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability initiated with a diffuse interface. Experiments are performed in which an interface between two gases of differing density is made unstable by acceleration generated by a rarefaction wave. Well-controlled, diffuse, two-dimensional and three-dimensional, single-mode perturbations are generated by oscillating the gases either side to side, or vertically for the three-dimensional perturbations. The puncturing of a diaphragm separating a vacuum tank beneath the test section generates a rarefaction wave that travels upwards and accelerates the interface downwards. This rarefaction wave generates a large, but non-constant, acceleration of the order ofmore » $$1000g_{0}$$, where$$g_{0}$$is the acceleration due to gravity. Initial interface thicknesses are measured using a Rayleigh scattering diagnostic and the instability is visualized using planar laser-induced Mie scattering. Growth rates agree well with theoretical values, and with the inviscid, dynamic diffusion model of Duffet al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 5, 1962, pp. 417–425) when diffusion thickness is accounted for, and the acceleration is weighted using inviscid Rayleigh–Taylor theory. The linear stability formulation of Chandrasekhar (Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc., vol. 51, 1955, pp. 162–178) is solved numerically with an error function diffusion profile using the Riccati method. This technique exhibits good agreement with the dynamic diffusion model of Duffet al. for small wavenumbers, but produces larger growth rates for large-wavenumber perturbations. Asymptotic analysis shows a$$1/k^{2}$$decay in growth rates as$$k\\rightarrow \\infty$$for large-wavenumber perturbations.« less

Simultaneous Concentration and Velocity Maps in Particle Suspensions under Shear from Rheo-Ultrasonic Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saint-Michel, Brice; Bodiguel, Hugues; Meeker, Steven; Manneville, Sébastien

2017-07-01

We extend a previously developed ultrafast ultrasonic technique [T. Gallot et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 84, 045107 (2013), 10.1063/1.4801462] to concentration-field measurements in non-Brownian particle suspensions under shear. The technique provides access to time-resolved concentration maps within the gap of a Taylor-Couette cell simultaneously to local velocity measurements and standard rheological characterization. Benchmark experiments in homogeneous particle suspensions are used to calibrate the system. We then image heterogeneous concentration fields that result from centrifugation effects, from the classical Taylor-Couette instability, and from sedimentation or shear-induced resuspension.

Instability mechanisms and transition scenarios of spiral turbulence in Taylor-Couette flow.

PubMed

Meseguer, Alvaro; Mellibovsky, Fernando; Avila, Marc; Marques, Francisco

2009-10-01

Alternating laminar and turbulent helical bands appearing in shear flows between counterrotating cylinders are accurately computed and the near-wall instability phenomena responsible for their generation identified. The computations show that this intermittent regime can only exist within large domains and that its spiral coherence is not dictated by endwall boundary conditions. A supercritical transition route, consisting of a progressive helical alignment of localized turbulent spots, is carefully studied. Subcritical routes disconnected from secondary laminar flows have also been identified.

Hydrodynamic Stability Analysis on Sheared Stratified Flow in a Convective Flow Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Yuan; Lin, Wenxian; Armfiled, Steven; Kirkpatrick, Michael; He, Yinghe; Fluid Dynamics Research Group, James Cook University Team; Fluid Dynamics Research Group, University of Sydney Team

2014-11-01

A hydrodynamic stability analysis on the convective sheared boundary layer (SCBL) flow, where a sheared stratified flow and a thermally convective flow coexist, is carried out in this study. The linear unstable stratifications representing the convective flow are included in the TaylorGoldstein equations as an unstable factor Jb. A new unstable region corresponding to the convective instability, which is not present in pure sheared stratified flows, is found with the analysis. It is also found that the boundaries of the convective instability regions expand with increasing Jb and interact with the sheared stratified instability region. More results will be presented at the conference

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knauer, J. P.; Betti, R.; Bradley, D. K.

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 bymore » 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.« less

Control of Disease Recurrence by Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells in Ovarian Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

effective for established tumors. alf a century later, a series of definitive experiments by Prehn and ain [3] showed that inoculation with tumor, but...Third Scientific Report on the Investigations of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. London: Taylor and Fran- cis; 1908. [3] Prehn RT,Main JM

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

A new data processing technique for Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuan, Yongteng; Tu, Shaoyong; Miao, Wenyong

Typical face-on experiments for Rayleigh-Taylor instability study involve the time-resolved radiography of an accelerated foil with line-of-sight of the radiography along the direction of motion. The usual method which derives perturbation amplitudes from the face-on images reverses the actual image transmission procedure, so the obtained results will have a large error in the case of large optical depth. In order to improve the accuracy of data processing, a new data processing technique has been developed to process the face-on images. This technique based on convolution theorem, refined solutions of optical depth can be achieved by solving equations. Furthermore, we discussmore » both techniques for image processing, including the influence of modulation transfer function of imaging system and the backlighter spatial profile. Besides, we use the two methods to the process the experimental results in Shenguang-II laser facility and the comparison shows that the new method effectively improve the accuracy of data processing.« less

The dynamical oscillation and propulsion of magnetic fields in the convective zone of a star. II - Thermal shadows. III - Accumulation of heat and the onset of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, E. N.

1987-01-01

The dynamics of thermal shadows which develop in the convective zone of a star around an insulating obstacle such as a horizontal band in intense magnetic field are studied. The depth of the shadow on the cool side of the obstacle is found to depend largely on the width of the obstacle multiplied by the temperature gradient. Thermal shadows pressing fields up to 10,000 G downward against the bottom of the convective zone are produced by the broad bands of the azimuthal field in the sun's convective zone. In the third part, the time-dependent accumulation of heat beneath a thermal barrier simulating such a band in the lower convective zone of the sun is considered. The resulting Rayleigh-Taylor instability is shown to cause tongues of heated gas to penetrate upward through the field, providing the emerging magnetic fields that give rise to the activity of the sun.

Controlling Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in solid liner implosions with rotating magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmit, P. F.; McBride, R. D.; Robertson, G. K.; Velikovich, A. L.

2016-10-01

We report calculations demonstrating that a remarkable reduction in the growth of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRTI) in initially solid, cylindrical metal shells can be achieved by applying a magnetic drive with a tilted, dynamic polarization, forming a solid-liner dynamic screw pinch (SLDSP). Using a self-consistent analytic framework, we demonstrate that MRTI growth factors of the most detrimental modes may be reduced by up to two orders of magnitude relative to conventional z-pinch implosions. One key application of this technique is to enable increasingly stable, higher performance liner implosions to achieve fusion. We weigh the potentially dramatic benefits of the SLDSP against the practical tradeoffs required to achieve the desired drive field history and identify promising target designs for future experimental and computational investigations. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. DoE's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Simultaneous measurements of concentration and velocity in the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, Dan; Ames, Alex; Noble, Chris; Oakley, Jason; Rothamer, David; Bonazza, Riccardo

2017-11-01

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) is studied experimentally in the Wisconsin Shock Tube Laboratory (WiSTL) using a broadband, shear layer initial condition at the interface between a helium-acetone mixture and argon. This interface (Atwood number A=0.7) is accelerated by either a M=1.6 or M=2.2 planar shock wave, and the development of the RMI is investigated through simultaneous planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements at the initial condition and four post-shock times. Three Reynolds stresses, the planar turbulent kinetic energy, the Taylor microscale are calculated from the concentration and velocity fields. The external Reynolds number is estimated from the Taylor scale and the velocity statistics. The results suggest that the flow transitions to fully developed turbulence by the third post-shock time for the high Mach number case, while it may not at the lower Mach number. The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Department of Energy.

Experimental evidence of a bubble-merger regime for the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability at the ablation front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casner, A.; Liberatore, S.; Masse, L.; Martinez, D.; Haan, S. W.; Kane, J.; Moore, A. S.; Seugling, R.; Farrell, M.; Giraldez, E.; Nikroo, A.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Remington, B. A.

2016-05-01

Under the Discovery Science program, the longer pulses and higher laser energies provided by the National Ignition Facility (NIF) have been harnessed to study, first time in indirect-drive, the highly nonlinear stage of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) at the ablation front. A planar plastic package with pre-imposed two-dimensional broadband modulations is accelerated for up to 12 ns by the x-ray drive of a gas-filled gold 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, a factor 3x larger than previously achieved on other laser facilities. As a consequence, we have measured the ablative RTI in transition from the weakly nonlinear stage up to the deep nonlinear stage for various initial conditions. A bubble merger regime has been observed and the ablative stabilization strength varied by changing the plastic dopant from iodine to germanium.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Experiments on the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability of Incompressible Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, J.; Niederhaus, C.

2000-01-01

Richtmyer-Meshkov (R-M) instability occurs when two different density fluids are impulsively accelerated in the direction normal to their nearly planar interface. The instability causes small perturbations on the interface to grow and possibly become turbulent given the proper initial conditions. R-M instability is similar to the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability, which is generated when the two fluids undergo a constant acceleration. R-M instability is a fundamental fluid instability that is important to fields ranging from astrophysics to high-speed combustion. For example, R-M instability is currently the limiting factor in achieving a net positive yield with inertial confinement fusion. The experiments described here utilize a novel technique that circumvents many of the experimental difficulties previously limiting the study of the R-M instability. A Plexiglas tank contains two unequal density liquids and is gently oscillated horizontally to produce a controlled initial fluid interface shape. The tank is mounted to a sled on a high speed, low friction linear rail system, constraining the main motion to the vertical direction. The sled is released from an initial height and falls vertically until it bounces off of a movable spring, imparting an impulsive acceleration in the upward direction. As the sled travels up and down the rails, the spring retracts out of the way, allowing the instability to evolve in free-fall until impacting a shock absorber at the end of the rails. The impulsive acceleration provided to the system is measured by a piezoelectric accelerometer mounted on the tank, and a capacitive accelerometer measures the low-level drag of the bearings. Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence is used for flow visualization, which uses an Argon ion laser to illuminate the flow and a CCD camera, mounted to the sled, to capture images of the interface. This experimental study investigates the instability of an interface between incompressible, miscible liquids with an initial sinusoidal perturbation. The amplitude of the disturbance during the experiment is measured and compared to theory. The results show good agreement (within 10%) with linear stability theory up to nondimensional amplitude ka = 0.7 (wavenumber x amplitude). These results hold true for an initial ka (before acceleration) of -0.7 less than ka less than -0.06, while the linear theory was developed for absolute value of ka much less than 1. In addition, a third order weakly nonlinear perturbation theory is shown to be accurate for amplitudes as large as ka = 1.3, even though the interface becomes double-valued at ka = 1.1. As time progresses, the vorticity on the interface concentrates, and the interface spirals around the alternating sign vortex centers to form a mushroom pattern. At higher Reynolds Number (based on circulation), an instability of the vortex cores has been observed. While time limitations of the apparatus prevent determination of a critical Reynolds Number, the lowest Reynolds Number this vortex instability has been observed at is 5000.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Ye; Cabot, William H.; Thornber, Ben

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 mixedmore » 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.« less

Radiatively driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability candidates around a forming massive star system. NACO adaptive optics and VISIR study of G333.6-0.2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, M. S. N.

2013-10-01

The formation of the highest mass stars are thought to be dominated by instabilities resulting from gravitation and radiation. Instabilities due to gravitation are commonly demonstrated by observations of fragmentation, but those due to effects of radiation have thus far not been found. Here I report on the NACO adaptive optics and mid-infrared diffraction-limited VISIR imaging data of an extemely luminous ultra-compact HII region G333.6-0.2. Two infrared sources, one bright in the near-infrared (appearing point-like) and another in the mid-infrared (resolved with an elliptical shape) are uncovered through this data, which are located at the heart of this region. These infrared sources appear to be embedded in the waist of a bipolar-shaped nebula and UCHII region, the lobes of which are separated by a dark patch. Dense filamentary features with finger/hook morphology are found; they appear to be connected to the two bright infrared sources and the sizes of these hook features are sharply limited to <5000 AU. The observed properties of this target and a large amount of previous data obtained from the literature are compared together with the results of various numerical simulations of high-mass star formation. This comparison favours the interpretation that the finger/hook-like structures likely represent radiatively driven Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities arising in the outflow cavity of a forming high-mass binary star system.

Mixing of a passive scalar by the instability of a differentially rotating axial pinch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paredes, A.; Gellert, M.; Rüdiger, G.

2016-04-01

The mean-field diffusion of passive scalars such as lithium, beryllium or temperature dispersals due to the magnetic Tayler instability of a rotating axial pinch is considered. Our study is carried out within a Taylor-Couette setup for two rotation laws: solid-body quasi-Kepler rotation. The minimum magnetic Prandtl number used is 0.05, and the molecular Schmidt number Sc of the fluid varies between 0.1 and 2. An effective diffusivity coefficient for the mixing is numerically measured by the decay of a prescribed concentration peak located between both cylinder walls. We find that only models with Sc exceeding 0.1 basically provide finite instability-induced diffusivity values. We also find that for quasi-Kepler rotation at a magnetic Mach number Mm ≃ 2, the flow transits from the slow-rotation regime to the fast-rotation regime that is dominated by the Taylor-Proudman theorem. For fixed Reynolds number, the relation between the normalized turbulent diffusivity and the Schmidt number of the fluid is always linear so that also a linear relation between the instability-induced diffusivity and the molecular viscosity results, just in the sense proposed by Schatzman (1977, A&A, 573, 80). The numerical value of the coefficient in this relation reaches a maximum at Mm ≃ 2 and decreases for larger Mm, implying that only toroidal magnetic fields on the order of 1 kG can exist in the solar tachocline.

Pulsar Wind Bubble Blowout from a Supernova

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blondin, John M.; Chevalier, Roger A., E-mail: blondin@ncsu.edu

For pulsars born in supernovae, the expansion of the shocked pulsar wind nebula is initially in the freely expanding ejecta of the supernova. While the nebula is in the inner flat part of the ejecta density profile, the swept-up, accelerating shell is subject to the Rayleigh–Taylor instability. We carried out two- and three-dimensional simulations showing that the instability gives rise to filamentary structure during this initial phase but does not greatly change the dynamics of the expanding shell. The flow is effectively self-similar. If the shell is powered into the outer steep part of the density profile, the shell ismore » subject to a robust Rayleigh–Taylor instability in which the shell is fragmented and the shocked pulsar wind breaks out through the shell. The flow is not self-similar in this phase. For a wind nebula to reach this phase requires that the deposited pulsar energy be greater than the supernova energy, or that the initial pulsar period be in the ms range for a typical 10{sup 51} erg supernova. These conditions are satisfied by some magnetar models for Type I superluminous supernovae. We also consider the Crab Nebula, which may be associated with a low energy supernova for which this scenario applies.« less

Experimental Investigation of the Effects of an Axial Magnetic Field on the Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Ablating Planar Foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yager-Elorriaga, D. A.; Patel, S. G.; Steiner, A. M.; Jordan, N. M.; Weiss, M. R.; Gilgenbach, R. M.; Lau, Y. Y.

2014-10-01

Experiments are underway to study the effects an axial magnetic field on the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRT) in ablating planar foils on the 1-MA LTD at the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-pinch Experiments (MAIZE) facility at the University of Michigan. For 600 kA drive current, a 15 T axial magnetic field is produced using helical return current posts. During the current pulse, the magnetic field may diffuse into the foil, creating a sheared magnetic field along with the possibility of shear stabilization of the MRT instability. Theoretical investigation at UM has shown that a sheared azimuthal magnetic field coupled with an axial magnetic field reduces the MRT growth rate in general. In order to study this effect, the amount of magnetic shear is controlled by offsetting the initial position of the foil. A 775 nm Ti:sapphire laser will be used to shadowgraph the foil in order to measure the MRT growth rate. By comparing these results to previous experiments at UM, the effects of magnetic shear and an axial magnetic field will be determined. This work was supported by US DoE. S.G. Patel and A.M. Steiner supported by NPSC funded by Sandia. D.A. Yager-Elorriaga supported by NSF fellowship Grant DGE 1256260.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Innes, D. E.; Guo, L.-J.; Schmit, D.

2014-11-20

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 ofmore » 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.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2012-10-01

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. We observed a transition between two qualitatively distinct types of perturbation evolution: jet formation at low shock pressure and areal mass oscillations at high shock pressure, which correspond respectively to high and low values of effective adiabatic index. The experiments were done on the KrF Nike laser facility with laser wavelength 248 nm and a 4 ns pulse. We varied the number of beams overlapped on the plastic target to change the ablative pressure driving the shock wave through the target: 36 beams produce pressure of ˜8 Mbar, whereas a single beam irradiation reduces the pressure to ˜0.7 Mbar. With the help of side-on monochromatic x-ray imaging, planar jets manifesting the development of the Richtmyer-Meshkov-type instability in a non-accelerated target are observed at sub-megabar shock pressure. As the shock pressure exceeds 1 Mbar, instead of jet formation 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.

The effect of crossflow on Taylor vortices: A model problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otto, S. R.; Bassom, Andrew P.

1993-01-01

A number of practically relevant problems involving the impulsive motion or the rapid rotation of bodies immersed in fluid are susceptible to vortex-like instability modes. Depending upon the configuration of any particular problem the stability properties of any high-wavenumber vortices can take on one of two distinct forms. One of these is akin to the structure of Gortler vortices in boundary layer flows while the other is similar to the situation for classical Taylor vortices. Both the Gortler and Taylor problems have been extensively studied when crossflow effects are excluded from the underlying base flows. Recently, studies were made concerning the influence of crossflow on Gortler modes and a linearized stability analysis is used to examine crossflow properties for the Taylor mode. This work allows us to identify the most unstable vortex as the crossflow component increases and it is shown how, like the Gortler case, only a very small crossflow component is required in order to completely stabilize the flow. Our investigation forms the basis for an extension to the nonlinear problem and is of potential applicability to a range of pertinent flows.

Evolution of Magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor Instability into the Outer Solar Corona and Low Interplanetary Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Sudheer K.; Singh, Talwinder; Kayshap, P.; Srivastava, A. K.

2018-03-01

We analyze the observations from Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO)-A and B/COR-1 of an eruptive prominence in the intermediate corona on 2011 June 7 at 08:45 UT, which consists of magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor (MRT) unstable plasma segments. Its upper-northward segment shows spatio-temporal evolution of MRT instability in form of finger structures up to the outer corona and low interplanetary space. Using the method of Dolei et al., It is estimated that the density in each bright finger is greater than the corresponding dark region lying below it in the surrounding intermediate corona. The instability is evolved due to wave perturbations that are parallel to the magnetic field at the density interface. We conjecture that the prominence plasma is supported by tension component of the magnetic field against gravity. Through the use of linear stability theory, the magnetic field is estimated as 21–40 mG to suppress growth of MRT instability in the observed finger structures. In the southward plasma segment, a horn-like structure is observed at 11:55 UT in the intermediate corona that also indicates MRT instability. Falling blobs are also observed in both of the plasma segments. In the outer corona, up to 6–13 solar radii, the mushroom-like plasma structures have been identified in the upper-northward MRT unstable plasma segment using STEREO-A/COR-2. These structures most likely grew due to the breaking and twisting of fingers at large spatial scales in weaker magnetic fields. In the lower interplanetary space up to 20 solar radii, these structures are fragmented into various small-scale localized plasma spikes, most likely due to turbulent mixing.

On the classification of buoyancy-driven chemo-hydrodynamic instabilities of chemical fronts.

PubMed

D'Hernoncourt, J; Zebib, A; De Wit, A

2007-03-01

Exothermic autocatalytic fronts traveling in the gravity field can be deformed by buoyancy-driven convection due to solutal and thermal contributions to changes in the density of the product versus the reactant solutions. We classify the possible instability mechanisms, such as Rayleigh-Benard, Rayleigh-Taylor, and double-diffusive mechanisms known to operate in such conditions in a parameter space spanned by the corresponding solutal and thermal Rayleigh numbers. We also discuss a counterintuitive instability leading to buoyancy-driven deformation of statically stable fronts across which a solute-light and hot solution lies on top of a solute-heavy and colder one. The mechanism of this chemically driven instability lies in the coupling of a localized reaction zone and of differential diffusion of heat and mass. Dispersion curves of the various cases are analyzed. A discussion of the possible candidates of autocatalytic reactions and experimental conditions necessary to observe the various instability scenarios is presented.

Well-posedness of the free boundary problem in compressible elastodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trakhinin, Yuri

2018-02-01

We study the free boundary problem for the flow of a compressible isentropic inviscid elastic fluid. At the free boundary moving with the velocity of the fluid particles the columns of the deformation gradient are tangent to the boundary and the pressure vanishes outside the flow domain. We prove the local-in-time existence of a unique smooth solution of the free boundary problem provided that among three columns of the deformation gradient there are two which are non-collinear vectors at each point of the initial free boundary. If this non-collinearity condition fails, the local-in-time existence is proved under the classical Rayleigh-Taylor sign condition satisfied at the first moment. By constructing an Hadamard-type ill-posedness example for the frozen coefficients linearized problem we show that the simultaneous failure of the non-collinearity condition and the Rayleigh-Taylor sign condition leads to Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

Limits of the potential flow approach to the single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramaprabhu, P.; Dimonte, Guy; Young, Yuan-Nan; Calder, A. C.; Fryxell, B.

2006-12-01

We report on the behavior of a single-wavelength Rayleigh-Taylor flow at late times. The calculations were performed in a long square duct (λ×λ×8λ) , using four different numerical simulations. In contradiction with potential flow theories that predict a constant terminal velocity, the single-wavelength Rayleigh-Taylor problem exhibits late-time acceleration. The onset of acceleration occurs as the bubble penetration depth exceeds the diameter of bubbles, and is observed for low and moderate density differences. Based on our simulations, we provide a phenomenological description of the observed acceleration, and ascribe this behavior to the formation of Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices on the bubble-spike interface that diminish the friction drag, while the associated induced flow propels the bubbles forward. For large density ratios, the formation of secondary instabilities is suppressed, and the bubbles remain terminal consistent with potential flow models.

The Stability and Structure of Lean Hydrogen-Air Flames: Effects of Gravity

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-17

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 MULTIDIMENSIONAL FLAME MODEL ...combustion, molecular diffusion between the reactants, intermediates, and products, thermal conduction, convection, and gravity. Such a detailed model allows...instabil- ity, generally called the Rayleigh-Taylor instability5 . A numerical model of the premixed hydrogen flame that includes all the physical

Rayleigh--Taylor spike evaporation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schappert, G. T.; Batha, S. H.; Klare, K. A.

2001-09-01

Laser-based experiments have shown that Rayleigh--Taylor (RT) growth in thin, perturbed copper foils leads to a phase dominated by narrow spikes between thin bubbles. These experiments were well modeled and diagnosed until this '' spike'' phase, but not into this spike phase. Experiments were designed, modeled, and performed on the OMEGA laser [T. R. Boehly, D. L. Brown, R. S. Craxton , Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] to study the late-time spike phase. To simulate the conditions and evolution of late time RT, a copper target was fabricated consisting of a series of thin ridges (spikes in cross section) 150more » {mu}m apart on a thin flat copper backing. The target was placed on the side of a scale-1.2 hohlraum with the ridges pointing into the hohlraum, which was heated to 190 eV. Side-on radiography imaged the evolution of the ridges and flat copper backing into the typical RT bubble and spike structure including the '' mushroom-like feet'' on the tips of the spikes. RAGE computer models [R. M. Baltrusaitis, M. L. Gittings, R. P. Weaver, R. F. Benjamin, and J. M. Budzinski, Phys. Fluids 8, 2471 (1996)] show the formation of the '' mushrooms,'' as well as how the backing material converges to lengthen the spike. The computer predictions of evolving spike and bubble lengths match measurements fairly well for the thicker backing targets but not for the thinner backings.« less

Stability and instability of hydromagnetic Taylor-Couette flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 the magnetic instability theory including nonlinear numerical studies of the kinetic and magnetic energies, the azimuthal spectra and the influence of the Hall effect.

Bead lightning formation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ludwig, G.O.; Saba, M.M.F.; Division of Space Geophysics, National Space Research Institute, 12227-010, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP

2005-09-15

Formation of beaded structures in triggered lightning discharges is considered in the framework of both magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and hydrodynamic instabilities. It is shown that the space periodicity of the structures can be explained in terms of the kink and sausage type instabilities in a cylindrical discharge with anomalous viscosity. In particular, the fast growth rate of the hydrodynamic Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which is driven by the backflow of air into the channel of the decaying return stroke, dominates the initial evolution of perturbations during the decay of the return current. This instability is responsible for a significant enhancement of the anomalousmore » viscosity above the classical level. Eventually, the damping introduced at the current channel edge by the high level of anomalous viscous stresses defines the final length scale of bead lightning. Later, during the continuing current stage of the lightning flash, the MHD pinch instability persists, although with a much smaller growth rate that can be enhanced in a M-component event. The combined effect of these instabilities may explain various aspects of bead lightning.« less

Interfacial fluid instabilities and Kapitsa pendula.

PubMed

Krieger, Madison S

2017-07-01

The onset and development of instabilities is one of the central problems in fluid mechanics. Here we develop a connection between instabilities of free fluid interfaces and inverted pendula. When acted upon solely by the gravitational force, the inverted pendulum is unstable. This position can be stabilized by the Kapitsa phenomenon, in which high-frequency low-amplitude vertical vibrations of the base creates a fictitious force which opposes the gravitational force. By transforming the dynamical equations governing a fluid interface into an appropriate pendulum-type equation, we demonstrate how stability can be induced in fluid systems by properly tuned vibrations. We construct a "dictionary"-type relationship between various pendula and the classical Rayleigh-Taylor, Kelvin-Helmholtz, Rayleigh-Plateau and the self-gravitational instabilities. This makes several results in control theory and dynamical systems directly applicable to the study of tunable fluid instabilities, where the critical wavelength depends on the external forces or the instability is suppressed entirely. We suggest some applications and instances of the effect ranging in scale from microns to the radius of a galaxy.

Research Performance Progress Report: Diverging Supernova Explosion Experiments on NIF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plewa, Tomasz

2016-10-25

The aim of this project was to design a series of blast-wave driven Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The experiments of this kind are relevant to mixing in core-collapse supernovae (ccSNe) and have the potential to address previously unanswered questions in high-energy density physics (HEDP) and astrophysics. The unmatched laser power of the NIF laser offers a unique chance to observe and study “new physics” like the mass extensions observed in HEDP RT experiments performed on the Omega laser [1], which might be linked to self-generated magnetic fields [2] and so far could not be reproducedmore » by numerical simulations. Moreover, NIF is currently the only facility that offers the possibility to execute a diverging RT experiment, which would allow to observe processes such as inter-shell penetration via turbulent mixing and shock-proximity effects (distortion of the shock by RT spikes).« less

Nonlinear hydrodynamic stability and transition; Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium, Nice, France, Sept. 3-7, 1990

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theoretical and experimental research on nonlinear hydrodynamic stability and transition is presented. Bifurcations, amplitude equations, pattern in experiments, and shear flows are considered. Particular attention is given to bifurcations of plane viscous fluid flow and transition to turbulence, chaotic traveling wave covection, chaotic behavior of parametrically excited surface waves in square geometry, amplitude analysis of the Swift-Hohenberg equation, traveling wave convection in finite containers, focus instability in axisymmetric Rayleigh-Benard convection, scaling and pattern formation in flowing sand, dynamical behavior of instabilities in spherical gap flows, and nonlinear short-wavelength Taylor vortices. Also discussed are stability of a flow past a two-dimensional grid, inertia wave breakdown in a precessing fluid, flow-induced instabilities in directional solidification, structure and dynamical properties of convection in binary fluid mixtures, and instability competition for convecting superfluid mixtures.

Observation of a free-Shercliff-layer instability in cylindrical geometry.

PubMed

Roach, Austin H; Spence, Erik J; Gissinger, Christophe; Edlund, Eric M; Sloboda, Peter; Goodman, Jeremy; Ji, Hantao

2012-04-13

We report on observations of a free-Shercliff-layer instability in a Taylor-Couette experiment using a liquid metal over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, Re∼10(3)-10(6). The free Shercliff layer is formed by imposing a sufficiently strong axial magnetic field across a pair of differentially rotating axial end cap rings. This layer is destabilized by a hydrodynamic Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instability, characterized by velocity fluctuations in the r-θ plane. The instability appears with an Elsasser number above unity, and saturates with an azimuthal mode number m which increases with the Elsasser number. Measurements of the structure agree well with 2D global linear mode analyses and 3D global nonlinear simulations. These observations have implications for a range of rotating MHD systems in which similar shear layers may be produced.

Studies of Plasma Instabilities using Unstructured Discontinuous Galerkin Method with the Two-Fluid Plasma Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yang; Srinivasan, Bhuvana

2017-10-01

The discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method has the advantage of resolving shocks and sharp gradients that occur in neutral fluids and plasmas. An unstructured DG code has been developed in this work to study plasma instabilities using the two-fluid plasma model. Unstructured meshes are known to produce small and randomized grid errors compared to traditional structured meshes. Computational tests for Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in radially-converging flows are performed using the MHD model. Choice of grid geometry is not obvious for simulations of instabilities in these circular configurations. Comparisons of the effects for different grids are made. A 2D magnetic nozzle simulation using the two-fluid plasma model is also performed. A vacuum boundary condition technique is applied to accurately solve the Riemann problem on the edge of the plume.

Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability in solid media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Y. B.; School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 73000; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049

2014-07-15

A linear analysis of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the interface between a Newtonian fluid and an elastic-plastic solid is performed by considering a uniform magnetic B{sup →}, parallel to the interface, which has diffused into the fluid but not into the solid. It is found that the magnetic field attributes elastic properties to the viscous fluid which enhance the stability region by stabilizing all the perturbation wavelengths shorter than λ{sub 0}∝B{sup 2} for any initial perturbation amplitude. Longer wavelengths are stabilized by the mechanical properties of the solid provided that the initial perturbation wavelength is smaller than a threshold valuemore » determined by the yield strength and the shear modulus of the solid. Beyond this threshold, the amplitude grows initially with a growth rate reduced by the solid strength properties. However, such properties do not affect the asymptotic growth rate which is only determined by the magnetic field and the fluid viscosity. The described physical situation intends to resemble some of the features present in recent experiments involving the magnetic shockless acceleration of flyers plates.« less

Discrete Boltzmann modeling of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in two-component compressible flows.

PubMed

Lin, Chuandong; Xu, Aiguo; Zhang, Guangcai; Luo, Kai Hong; Li, Yingjun

2017-11-01

A discrete Boltzmann model (DBM) is proposed to probe the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in two-component compressible flows. Each species has a flexible specific-heat ratio and is described by one discrete Boltzmann equation (DBE). Independent discrete velocities are adopted for the two DBEs. The collision and force terms in the DBE account for the molecular collision and external force, respectively. Two types of force terms are exploited. In addition to recovering the modified Navier-Stokes equations in the hydrodynamic limit, the DBM has the capability of capturing detailed nonequilibrium effects. Furthermore, we use the DBM to investigate the dynamic process of the RTI. The invariants of tensors for nonequilibrium effects are presented and studied. For low Reynolds numbers, both global nonequilibrium manifestations and the growth rate of the entropy of mixing show three stages (i.e., the reducing, increasing, and then decreasing trends) in the evolution of the RTI. On the other hand, the early reducing tendency is suppressed and even eliminated for high Reynolds numbers. Relevant physical mechanisms are analyzed and discussed.

The Caltech experimental investigation of fast 3D non-equilbrium dynamics: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellan, Paul; Shikama, Taiichi; Chai, Kilbyoung; Ha, Bao; Chaplin, Vernon; Kendall, Mark; Moser, Auna; Stenson, Eve; Tobin, Zachary; Zhai, Xiang

2012-10-01

The formation and dynamics of writhing, plasma-filled, twisted open magnetic flux tubes is being investigated using pulsed-power laboratory experiments. This work is relevant to solar corona loops, astrophysical jets, spheromak formation, and open field lines in tokamaks and RFP's. MHD forces have been observed to drive fast axial plasma flows into the flux tube from the boundary it intercepts. These flows fill the flux tube with plasma while simultaneously injecting linked frozen-in azimuthal flux; helicity injection is thus associated with mass injection. Recent results include observation of a secondary instability (Rayleigh-Taylor driven by the effective gravity of an exponentially growing kink mode), color-coded plasmas manifesting bidirectional axial flows in a geometry similar to a solar corona loop, and spectroscopic measurements of the internal vector magnetic field. Experiments underway include investigating how an external magnetic field straps down a solar loop, investigation of the details of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, development of a fast EUV movie camera, increasing the jet velocity, excitation of Alfven waves, and investigating 3D magnetic reconnection.

Hydrodynamic scaling of the deceleration-phase Rayleigh–Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bose, A., E-mail: abos@lle.rochester.edu; Woo, K. M.; Betti, R.

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 NIFmore » 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.« less

Hydrodynamic scaling of the deceleration-phase Rayleigh–Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bose, A.; Woo, K. M.; Nora, R.

2015-07-02

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 NIFmore » 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 ΧΩ ≈ 0.2 at the OMEGA scale is required to demonstrate hydro-equivalent ignition at the NIF scale for symmetric direct-drive implosions.« less

Experimental study of mixing mechanisms in stably stratified Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augier, Pierre; Caulfield, Colm-Cille; Dalziel, Stuart

2014-11-01

We consider experimentally the mechanisms of mixing in stably stratified Taylor-Couette (TC) flow in a TC apparatus for which both cylinders can rotate independently. In the case for which only the inner cylinder rotates, centrifugal instability rapidly splits an initially linear density profile into an array of thin nearly homogeneous layers. Shadowgraph, PIV and density profiles measured by a moving conductivity probe allow us to characterise this process and the resulting flow. In particular, we observe turbulent intrusions of mixed fluid propagating relatively slowly around the tank at the interfaces between the layers, leading to a time-dependent variation in the sharpness and turbulent activity at these interfaces, whose period scales with (but is much larger than) the rotation period. Interestingly, the turbulent intrusions are anti-correlated between adjacent interfaces leading to snake-skin-like patterns in the spatio-temporal diagrams of the density profiles. We also explore how the presence of a density stratification modifies end effects at the top and bottom of the cylinders, in both the presence and absence of primary centrifugal instability.

Evaluating gyro-viscosity in the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability by kinetic simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Umeda, Takayuki, E-mail: taka.umeda@nagoya-u.jp; Yamauchi, Natsuki; Wada, Yasutaka

2016-05-15

In the present paper, the finite-Larmor-radius (gyro-viscous) term [K. V. Roberts and J. B. Taylor, Phys. Rev. Lett. 8, 197–198 (1962)] is evaluated by using a full kinetic Vlasov simulation result of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). The velocity field and the pressure tensor are calculated from the high-resolution data of the velocity distribution functions obtained by the Vlasov simulation, which are used to approximate the Finite-Larmor-Radius (FLR) term according to Roberts and Taylor [Phys. Rev. Lett. 8, 197–198 (1962)]. The direct comparison between the pressure tensor and the FLR term shows an agreement. It is also shown that the anisotropicmore » pressure gradient enhanced the linear growth of the KHI when the inner product between the vorticity of the primary velocity shear layer and the magnetic field is negative, which is consistent with the previous FLR-magnetohydrodynamic simulation result. This result suggests that it is not sufficient for reproducing the kinetic simulation result by fluid simulations to include the FLR term (or the pressure tensor) only in the equation of motion for fluid.« less

Inversion of residual stress profiles from ultrasonic Rayleigh wave dispersion data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Ekman-Hartmann layer in a magnetohydrodynamic Taylor-Couette flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Szklarski, Jacek; Ruediger, Guenther

2007-12-15

We study magnetic effects induced by rigidly rotating plates enclosing a cylindrical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Taylor-Couette flow at the finite aspect ratio H/D=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{approx_equal}10, and the rotation rates correspond to Reynolds numbers of order 10{sup 2}-10{sup 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 Hartmannmore » 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.« less

Relativistic centrifugal instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

The nonlinear breakup of the sun's toroidal field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, D. W.; Cattaneo, F.

1989-01-01

There are good reasons for believing that the sun has a strong toroidal magnetic field in the stably stratified region of convective overshoot sandwiched between the radiative zone and convective zone proper. The magnetic field in this region is modeled by studying the behavior of a layer of uniform field embedded in a subadiabatic atmosphere. Since the field can support extra mass, such a configuration is top-heavy, and instabilities of the Rayleigh-Taylor type can occur. Numerical integration of the two-dimensional compressible MHD equations makes it possible to follow the evolution of this instability into the nonlinear regime. The initial buoyancy-driven instability of the magnetic field gives rise to strong shearing motions, thereby exciting secondary Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities which wrap the gas into regions of intense vorticity. The somewhat surprising subsequent motions are determined primarily by the strong interactions between vortices.

Sedimentation and gravitational instability of Escherichia coli Suspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Advances on Propulsion Technology for High-Speed Aircraft. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

2m.nH 17p VJ +V, The thermal efficiency of either compressor or ram-based engines can be approached as a Brayton cycle and hence its efficiency is...Cambridge, 1964. I II [14] G. Birkhoff. Helmholtz and Taylor instability. Proc. Symp. App. Math. Soc. v. 13, p. 55-76, 1962. [15] K.M. Case. Hydrodynamic

Rayleigh-Taylor instability at spherical interfaces between viscous fluids: Fluid/vacuum interface

DOE PAGES

Terrones, Guillermo; Carrara, Mark D.

2015-05-01

For a spherical interface of radius R separating two different homogeneous regions of incompressible viscous fluids under the action of a radially directed acceleration, we perform a linear stability analysis in terms of spherical surface harmonics Y n to derive the dispersion relation. The instability behavior is investigated by computing the growth rates and the most-unstable modes as a function of the spherical harmonic degree n. This general methodology is applicable to the entire parameter space spanned by the Atwood number, the viscosity ratio, and the dimensionless number B = (α RΡ² 2/μ² ²)¹ /³ R (where α R, Ρmore » 2 and μ 2 are the local radial acceleration at the interface, and the density and viscosity of the denser overlying fluid, respectively). While the mathematical formulation here is general, this paper focuses on instability that arises at a spherical viscous fluid/vacuum interface as there is a great deal to be learned from the effects of one-fluid viscosity and sphericity alone. To quantify and understand the effect that curvature and radial accelerationhave on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, a comparison of the growth rates, under homologous driving conditions, between the planar and spherical interfaces is performed. The derived dispersion relation for the planar interface accounts for an underlying finite fluid region of thickness L and normal acceleration α R. Under certain conditions, the development of the most-unstable modes at a spherical interface can take place via the superposition of two adjacent spherical harmonics Y n and Y n+1. This bimodality in the evolution of disturbances in the linear regime does not have a counterpart in the planar configuration where the most-unstable modes are associated with a unique wave number.« less

Mixing driven by transient buoyancy flows. I. Kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duval, W. M. B.; Zhong, H.; Batur, C.

2018-05-01

Mixing of two miscible liquids juxtaposed inside a cavity initially separated by a divider, whose buoyancy-driven motion is initiated via impulsive perturbation of divider motion that can generate the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, is investigated experimentally. The measured Lagrangian history of interface motion that contains the continuum mechanics of mixing shows self-similar nearly Gaussian length stretch distribution for a wide range of control parameters encompassing an approximate Hele-Shaw cell to a three-dimensional cavity. Because of the initial configuration of the interface which is parallel to the gravitational field, we show that at critical initial potential energy mixing occurs through the stretching of the interface, which shows frontogenesis, and folding, owing to an overturning motion that results in unstable density stratification and produces an ideal condition for the growth of the single wavelength Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The initial perturbation of the interface and flow field generates the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and causes kinks at the interface, which grow into deep fingers during overturning motion and unfold into local whorl structures that merge and self-organize into the Rayleigh-Taylor morphology (RTM) structure. For a range of parametric space that yields two-dimensional flows, the unfolding of the instability through a supercritical bifurcation yields an asymmetric pairwise structure exhibiting smooth RTM that transitions to RTM fronts with fractal structures that contain small length scales for increasing Peclet numbers. The late stage of the RTM structure unfolds into an internal breakwave that breaks down through wall and internal collision and sets up the condition for self-induced sloshing that decays exponentially as the two fluids become stably stratified with a diffusive region indicating local molecular diffusion.

Premixed Flames Under Microgravity and Normal Gravity Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krikunova, Anastasia I.; Son, Eduard E.

2018-03-01

Premixed conical CH4-air flames were studied experimentally and numerically under normal straight, reversed gravity conditions and microgravity. Low-gravity experiments were performed in Drop tower. Classical Bunsen-type burner was used to find out features of gravity influence on the combustion processes. Mixture equivalence ratio was varied from 0.8 to 1.3. Wide range of flow velocity allows to study both laminar and weakly turbulized flames. High-speed flame chemoluminescence video-recording was used as diagnostic. The investigations were performed at atmospheric pressure. As results normalized flame height, laminar flame speed were measured, also features of flame instabilities were shown. Low- and high-frequency flame-instabilities (oscillations) have a various nature as velocity fluctuations, preferential diffusion instability, hydrodynamic and Rayleigh-Taylor ones etc., that was explored and demonstrated.

Granular Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vinningland, Jan Ludvig; Johnsen, Oistein; Flekkoey, Eirik G.

2009-06-18

A granular instability driven by gravity is studied experimentally and numerically. The instability arises as grains fall in a closed Hele-Shaw cell where a layer of dense granular material is positioned above a layer of air. The initially flat front defined by the grains subsequently develops into a pattern of falling granular fingers separated by rising bubbles of air. A transient coarsening of the front is observed right from the start by a finger merging process. The coarsening is later stabilized by new fingers growing from the center of the rising bubbles. The structures are quantified by means of Fouriermore » analysis and quantitative agreement between experiment and computation is shown. This analysis also reveals scale invariance of the flow structures under overall change of spatial scale.« less

Controlling dynamics of imploded core plasma for fast ignition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagatomo, H.; Johzaki, T.; Sunahara, A.; Shiraga, H.; Sakagami, H.; Cai, H.; Mima, K.

2010-08-01

In the Fast ignition, formation of highly compressed core plasma is one of critical issue. In this work, the effect hydrodynamic instability in cone-guided shell implosion is studied. Two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations are carried out where realistic seeds of Rayleigh-Taylor instability are imposed. Preliminary results suggest that the instability reduces implosion performance, such as implosion velocity, areal density, and maximum density. In perturbed target implosion, the break-up time of the tip of the cone is earlier than that of ideal unperturbed target implosion case. This is crucial matter for the Fast ignition because the pass for the heating laser is filled with plasma before the shot of heating laser. A sophisticated implosion design of stable and low in-flight aspect ratio is necessary for cone-guided shell implosion.

Simultaneous use of camera and probe diagnostics to unambiguously identify and study the dynamics of multiple underlying instabilities during the route to plasma turbulence.

PubMed

Thakur, S C; Brandt, C; Light, A; Cui, L; Gosselin, J J; Tynan, G R

2014-11-01

We use multiple-tip Langmuir probes and fast imaging to unambiguously identify and study the dynamics of underlying instabilities during the controlled route to fully-developed plasma turbulence in a linear magnetized helicon plasma device. Langmuir probes measure radial profiles of electron temperature, plasma density and potential; from which we compute linear growth rates of instabilities, cross-phase between density and potential fluctuations, Reynold's stress, particle flux, vorticity, time-delay estimated velocity, etc. Fast imaging complements the 1D probe measurements by providing temporally and spatially resolved 2D details of plasma structures associated with the instabilities. We find that three radially separated plasma instabilities exist simultaneously. Density gradient driven resistive drift waves propagating in the electron diamagnetic drift direction separate the plasma into an edge region dominated by strong, velocity shear driven Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and a central core region which shows coherent Rayleigh-Taylor modes propagating in the ion diamagnetic drift direction. The simultaneous, complementary use of both probes and camera was crucial to identify the instabilities and understand the details of the very rich plasma dynamics.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casner, A., E-mail: alexis.casner@cea.fr; Masse, L.; Liberatore, S.

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 lasermore » 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.« less

Plasma Radiation Source Development Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

shell mass distributions perform belter than thin shells. The dual plenum, double shell load has unique diagnostic features that enhance our...as implosion time increases. 13. SUBJECT TERMS Zpinch x-ray diagnostics Rayleigh-Taylor instability pulsed-power x-ray spectroscopy supersonic...feature permits some very useful diagnostics that shed light on critical details of the implosion process. See Section 3 for details. We have

Numerical Experiments with a Turbulent Single-Mode Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cloutman, L.D.

2000-04-01

Direct numerical simulation is a powerful tool for studying turbulent flows. Unfortunately, it is also computationally expensive and often beyond the reach of the largest, fastest computers. Consequently, a variety of turbulence models have been devised to allow tractable and affordable simulations of averaged flow fields. Unfortunately, these present a variety of practical difficulties, including the incorporation of varying degrees of empiricism and phenomenology, which leads to a lack of universality. This unsatisfactory state of affairs has led to the speculation that one can avoid the expense and bother of using a turbulence model by relying on the grid andmore » numerical diffusion of the computational fluid dynamics algorithm to introduce a spectral cutoff on the flow field and to provide dissipation at the grid scale, thereby mimicking two main effects of a large eddy simulation model. This paper shows numerical examples of a single-mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability in which this procedure produces questionable results. We then show a dramatic improvement when two simple subgrid-scale models are employed. This study also illustrates the extreme sensitivity to initial conditions that is a common feature of turbulent flows.« less

Bell-Plesset effects in Rayleigh-Taylor instability of finite-thickness spherical and cylindrical shells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velikovich, A. L.; Schmit, P. F.

Bell-Plesset (BP) effects account for the influence of global convergence or divergence of the fluid flow on the evolution of the interfacial perturbations embedded in the flow. The development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in radiation-driven spherical capsules and magnetically-driven cylindrical liners necessarily includes a significant contribution from BP effects due to the time dependence of the radius, velocity, and acceleration of the unstable surfaces or interfaces. An analytical model is presented that, for an ideal incompressible fluid and small perturbation amplitudes, exactly evaluates the BP effects in finite-thickness shells through acceleration and deceleration phases. The time-dependent dispersion equations determining themore » “instantaneous growth rate” are derived. It is demonstrated that by integrating this approximate growth rate over time, one can accurately evaluate the number of perturbation e-foldings during the inward acceleration phase of the implosion. In the limit of small shell thickness, exact thin-shell perturbation equations and approximate thin-shell dispersion equations are obtained, generalizing the earlier results [E. G. Harris, Phys. Fluids 5, 1057 (1962); E. Ott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 1429 (1972); A. B. Bud'ko et al., Phys. Fluids B 2, 1159 (1990)].« less

Bell-Plesset effects in Rayleigh-Taylor instability of finite-thickness spherical and cylindrical shells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velikovich, A. L.; Schmit, P. F.

Bell-Plesset (BP) effects account for the influence of global convergence or divergence of the fluid flow on the evolution of the interfacial perturbations embedded in the flow. The development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in radiation-driven spherical capsules and magnetically-driven cylindrical liners necessarily includes a significant contribution from BP effects due to the time dependence of the radius, velocity, and acceleration of the unstable surfaces or interfaces. An analytical model is presented that, for an ideal incompressible fluid and small perturbation amplitudes, exactly evaluates the BP effects in finite-thickness shells through acceleration and deceleration phases. The time-dependent dispersion equations determining themore » “instantaneous growth rate” are derived. It is demonstrated that by integrating this approximate growth rate over time, one can accurately evaluate the number of perturbation e-foldings during the inward acceleration phase of the implosion. As a result, in the limit of small shell thickness, exact thin-shell perturbationequations and approximate thin-shell dispersion equations are obtained, generalizing the earlier results [E. G. Harris, Phys. Fluids 5, 1057 (1962); E. Ott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 1429 (1972); A. B. Bud'ko et al., Phys. Fluids B 2, 1159 (1990)].« less

Numerical viscosity and resolution of high-order weighted essentially nonoscillatory schemes for compressible flows with high Reynolds numbers.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong-Tao; Shi, Jing; Shu, Chi-Wang; Zhou, Ye

2003-10-01

A quantitative study is carried out in this paper to investigate the size of numerical viscosities and the resolution power of high-order weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO) schemes for solving one- and two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for compressible gas dynamics with high Reynolds numbers. A one-dimensional shock tube problem, a one-dimensional example with parameters motivated by supernova and laser experiments, and a two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability problem are used as numerical test problems. For the two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability problem, or similar problems with small-scale structures, the details of the small structures are determined by the physical viscosity (therefore, the Reynolds number) in the Navier-Stokes equations. Thus, to obtain faithful resolution to these small-scale structures, the numerical viscosity inherent in the scheme must be small enough so that the physical viscosity dominates. A careful mesh refinement study is performed to capture the threshold mesh for full resolution, for specific Reynolds numbers, when WENO schemes of different orders of accuracy are used. It is demonstrated that high-order WENO schemes are more CPU time efficient to reach the same resolution, both for the one-dimensional and two-dimensional test problems.

Bell-Plesset effects in Rayleigh-Taylor instability of finite-thickness spherical and cylindrical shells

DOE PAGES

Velikovich, A. L.; Schmit, P. F.

2015-12-28

Bell-Plesset (BP) effects account for the influence of global convergence or divergence of the fluid flow on the evolution of the interfacial perturbations embedded in the flow. The development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in radiation-driven spherical capsules and magnetically-driven cylindrical liners necessarily includes a significant contribution from BP effects due to the time dependence of the radius, velocity, and acceleration of the unstable surfaces or interfaces. An analytical model is presented that, for an ideal incompressible fluid and small perturbation amplitudes, exactly evaluates the BP effects in finite-thickness shells through acceleration and deceleration phases. The time-dependent dispersion equations determining themore » “instantaneous growth rate” are derived. It is demonstrated that by integrating this approximate growth rate over time, one can accurately evaluate the number of perturbation e-foldings during the inward acceleration phase of the implosion. As a result, in the limit of small shell thickness, exact thin-shell perturbationequations and approximate thin-shell dispersion equations are obtained, generalizing the earlier results [E. G. Harris, Phys. Fluids 5, 1057 (1962); E. Ott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 1429 (1972); A. B. Bud'ko et al., Phys. Fluids B 2, 1159 (1990)].« less

Magneto Rayleigh-Taylor, Sausage, and Kink Instability Experiments on a MegaAmpere Linear Transformer Driver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yager-Elorriaga, D. A.; Steiner, A. M.; Patel, S. G.; Jordan, N. M.; Gilgenbach, R. M.; Lau, Y. Y.; Weis, M. R.; Zhang, P.

2015-11-01

At the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-Pinch Experiments (MAIZE) facility, a 1-MA Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) is being used to deliver 500-600 kA to cylindrical liners in order to study the magneto Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT), sausage, and kink instabilities in imploding and exploding Al plasmas. The liners studied in this experiment had thicknesses of 400 nm to 30 μm, heights of 1-2 cm, and diameters of 1-6 mm. The plasmas were imaged using 4-time-frame, laser shadowgraphy and shearing-interferometry at 532 nm. For imploding liners, the measured acceleration was found to be less than predicted from the current pulse, indicating significant diffusion of the azimuthal magnetic field. A simple experimental configuration is presented for ``end-on'' laser probing in the r- θ plane in order to study the interior of the liner. Finally, the effects of axial magnetic fields are determined by modifying the return current posts and incorporating external coils. Experimental growth rates are determined and discussed. This work was supported by DOE award DE-SC0012328. S.G. Patel supported by Sandia National Labs. D.A. Yager was supported by NSF fellowship grant DGE 1256260.

Weakly nonlinear incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-06-01

In this research, a weakly nonlinear (WN) model for the incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability in cylindrical geometry [Wang et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 042708 (2013)] is generalized to spherical geometry. The evolution of the interface with an initial small-amplitude single-mode perturbation in the form of Legendre mode (Pn) is analysed with the third-order WN solutions. The transition of the small-amplitude perturbed spherical interface to the bubble-and-spike structure can be observed by our model. For single-mode perturbation Pn, besides the generation of P 2 n and P 3 n , which are similar to the second and third harmonics in planar and cylindrical geometries, many other modes in the range of P0- P 3 n are generated by mode-coupling effects up to the third order. With the same initial amplitude, the bubbles at the pole grow faster than those at the equator in the WN regime. Furthermore, it is found that the behavior of the bubbles at the pole is similar to that of three-dimensional axisymmetric bubbles, while the behavior of the bubbles at the equator is similar to that of two-dimensional bubbles.

Bell-Plesset effects in Rayleigh-Taylor instability of finite-thickness spherical and cylindrical shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velikovich, A. L.; Schmit, P. F.

2015-12-01

Bell-Plesset (BP) effects account for the influence of global convergence or divergence of the fluid flow on the evolution of the interfacial perturbations embedded in the flow. The development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in radiation-driven spherical capsules and magnetically-driven cylindrical liners necessarily includes a significant contribution from BP effects due to the time dependence of the radius, velocity, and acceleration of the unstable surfaces or interfaces. An analytical model is presented that, for an ideal incompressible fluid and small perturbation amplitudes, exactly evaluates the BP effects in finite-thickness shells through acceleration and deceleration phases. The time-dependent dispersion equations determining the "instantaneous growth rate" are derived. It is demonstrated that by integrating this approximate growth rate over time, one can accurately evaluate the number of perturbation e-foldings during the inward acceleration phase of the implosion. In the limit of small shell thickness, exact thin-shell perturbation equations and approximate thin-shell dispersion equations are obtained, generalizing the earlier results [E. G. Harris, Phys. Fluids 5, 1057 (1962); E. Ott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 1429 (1972); A. B. Bud'ko et al., Phys. Fluids B 2, 1159 (1990)].

Nonlinear Dynamics of a Diffusing Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duval, Walter M. B.

2001-01-01

Excitation of two miscible-viscous liquids inside a bounded enclosure in a microgravity environment has shown the evolution of quasi-stationary waves of various modes for a range of parameters. We examine computationally the nonlinear dynamics of the system as the interface breakup and bifurcates to resonance structures typified by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability mechanism. Results show that when the mean steady field is much smaller than the amplitude of the sinusoidal excitation, the system behaves linearly, and growth of quasi-stationary waves occurs through the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mechanism. However, as the amplitude of excitation increases, nonlinearity occurs through subharmonic bifurcation prior to broadband chaos.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Awe, T. J., E-mail: tjawe@sandia.gov; Jennings, C. A.; McBride, R. D.

Recent experiments at the Sandia National Laboratories Z Facility have, for the first time, studied the implosion dynamics of magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) style liners that were pre-imposed with a uniform axial magnetic field. As reported [T. J. Awe et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 235005 (2013)] when premagnetized with a 7 or 10 T axial field, these liners developed 3D-helix-like hydrodynamic instabilities; such instabilities starkly contrast with the azimuthally correlated magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instabilities that have been consistently observed in many earlier non-premagnetized experiments. The helical structure persisted throughout the implosion, even though the azimuthal drive field greatly exceeded themore » expected axial field at the liner's outer wall for all but the earliest stages of the experiment. Whether this modified instability structure has practical importance for magneto-inertial fusion concepts depends primarily on whether the modified instability structure is more stable than standard azimuthally correlated MRT instabilities. In this manuscript, we discuss the evolution of the helix-like instability observed on premagnetized liners. While a first principles explanation of this observation remains elusive, recent 3D simulations suggest that if a small amplitude helical perturbation can be seeded on the liner's outer surface, no further influence from the axial field is required for the instability to grow.« less

Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulations of Equatorial Spread F: Results and Observations in the Pacific Sector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aveiro, H. C.; Hysell, D. L.; Caton, R. G.; Groves, K. M.; Klenzing, J.; Pfaff, R. F.; Stoneback, R.; Heelis, R. A.

2012-01-01

A three-dimensional numerical simulation of plasma density irregularities in the postsunset equatorial F region ionosphere leading to equatorial spread F (ESF) is described. The simulation evolves under realistic background conditions including bottomside plasma shear flow and vertical current. It also incorporates C/NOFS satellite data which partially specify the forcing. A combination of generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability (GRT) and collisional shear instability (CSI) produces growing waveforms with key features that agree with C/NOFS satellite and ALTAIR radar observations in the Pacific sector, including features such as gross morphology and rates of development. The transient response of CSI is consistent with the observation of bottomside waves with wavelengths close to 30 km, whereas the steady state behavior of the combined instability can account for the 100+ km wavelength waves that predominate in the F region.

A numerical investigation of continental collision styles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazian, Reza Khabbaz; Buiter, Susanne J. H.

2013-06-01

Continental collision after closure of an ocean can lead to different deformation styles: subduction of continental crust and lithosphere, lithospheric thickening, folding of the unsubducted continents, Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities and/or slab break-off. We use 2-D thermomechanical models of oceanic subduction followed by continental collision to investigate the sensitivity of these collision styles to driving velocity, crustal and lithospheric temperature, continental rheology and the initial density difference between the oceanic lithosphere and the asthenosphere. We find that these parameters influence the collision system, but that driving velocity, rheology and lithospheric (rather than Moho and mantle) temperature can be classified as important controls, whereas reasonable variations in the initial density contrast between oceanic lithosphere and asthenosphere are not necessarily important. Stable continental subduction occurs over a relatively large range of values of driving velocity and lithospheric temperature. Fast and cold systems are more likely to show folding, whereas slow and warm systems can experience RT-type dripping. Our results show that a continent with a strong upper crust can experience subduction of the entire crust and is more likely to fold. Accretion of the upper crust at the trench is feasible when the upper crust has a moderate to weak strength, whereas the entire crust can be scraped-off in the case of a weak lower crust. We also illustrate that weakening of the lithospheric mantle promotes RT-type of dripping in a collision system. We use a dynamic collision model, in which collision is driven by slab pull only, to illustrate that adjacent plates can play an important role in continental collision systems. In dynamic collision models, exhumation of subducted continental material and sediments is triggered by slab retreat and opening of a subduction channel, which allows upward flow of buoyant materials. Exhumation continues after slab break-off by reverse motion of the subducting plate (`eduction') caused by the reduced slab pull. We illustrate how a simple force balance of slab pull, slab push, slab bending, viscous resistance and buoyancy can explain the different collision styles caused by variations in velocity, temperature, rheology, density differences and the interaction with adjacent plates.

Stability of compressible Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, K.; Chow, C.

1992-01-01

The objectives of this paper are to: (1) develop both analytical and numerical tools that can be used to predict the onset of instability and subsequently to simulate the transition process by which the originally laminar flow evolves into a turbulent flow; and (2) conduct the preliminary investigations with the purpose of understanding the mechanisms of the vortical structures of the compressible flow between tow concentric cylinders.

Frontal Polymerization in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pojman, John A.

1999-01-01

Frontal polymerization systems, with their inherent large thermal and compositional gradients, are greatly affected by buoyancy-driven convection. Sounding rocket experiments allowed the preparation of benchmark materials and demonstrated that methods to suppress the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in ground-based research did not significantly affect the molecular weight of the polymer. Experiments under weightlessness show clearly that bubbles produced during the reaction interact very differently than under 1 g.

Deformation of interface in a partially miscible system during favorable displacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Ryuta; Nagatsu, Yuichiro; Mishra, Manoranjan; Ban, Takahiko

2017-11-01

The Saffman-Taylor instability triggers a well-known viscous fingering (VF, called unfavorable displacement), occurring when a less viscous fluid displaces a more viscous one in porous media or in a Hele-Shaw cell because the boundary of the two fluids becomes hydrodynamically unstable. In the reverse situation (called favorable displacement) in which a more viscous fluid displaces a less viscous one, no instabilities occur due to hydrodynamically stable system. It has been reported that the favorable displacements become unstable by several physicochemical effects. So far, studies of both displacements have focused on fluids that are either fully miscible or immiscible. However, little attention has been paid to displacements in partially miscible system. Here, we have discovered that a partial miscibility triggers fingering instability in a favorable displacement without any chemical reactions. The occurrence of this new instability is induced by not hydrodynamic effects but a thermodynamic effect that is so-called Korteweg effect in which convection is induced during phase separation process in a partially miscible system.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vandenboomgaerde, M.; Bonnefille, M.; Gauthier, P.

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 themore » 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.« less

Experimental Investigation of the Electrothermal Instability on Planar Foil Ablation Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2014-10-01

The electrothermal instability (ETI) is an important early-time physical effect on pulsed power foil ablation experiments due to its ability to seed the destructive magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability. ETI occurs whenever electrical resistivity has temperature dependence; when resistivity increases with temperature, as with solid metal liners or foils, ETI forms striation structures perpendicular to current flow. These striations provide an initial perturbation for the MRT instability, which is the dominant late-time instability in planar foil ablations. The MAIZE linear transformer driver was used to drive current pulses of approximately 600 kA into 400 nm-thick aluminum foils in order to study ETI in planar geometry. Shadowgraph images of the aluminum plasmas were taken for multiple shots at various times within approximately 50 ns of current start. Fourier analysis extracted the approximate wavelengths of the instability structures on the plasma-vacuum interface. Surface metrology of pre-shot foils was performed to provide a comparison between surface roughness features and resulting plasma structure. This work was supported by US DoE. S.G. Patel and A.M. Steiner supported by NPSC funded by Sandia. D.A. Yager supported by NSF fellowship Grant # DGE 1256260.

Effect on Non-Newtonian Rheology on Mixing in Taylor-Couette Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Shock Corrugation by Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglow Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffell, Paul C.; MacFadyen, Andrew I.

2014-08-01

Afterglow jets are Rayleigh-Taylor unstable and therefore turbulent during the early part of their deceleration. There are also several processes which actively cool the jet. In this Letter, we demonstrate that if cooling significantly increases the compressibility of the flow, the turbulence collides with the forward shock, destabilizing and corrugating it. In this case, the forward shock is turbulent enough to produce the magnetic fields responsible for synchrotron emission via small-scale turbulent dynamo. We calculate light curves assuming the magnetic field is in energy equipartition with the turbulent kinetic energy and discover that dynamic magnetic fields are well approximated by a constant magnetic-to-thermal energy ratio of 1%, though there is a sizeable delay in the time of peak flux as the magnetic field turns on only after the turbulence has activated. The reverse shock is found to be significantly more magnetized than the forward shock, with a magnetic-to-thermal energy ratio of the order of 10%. This work motivates future Rayleigh-Taylor calculations using more physical cooling models.

Contact lines are unstable even under non-splashing droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pack, Min; Kaneelil, Paul; Sun, Ying

2017-11-01

Drop impact is fundamental to natural and industrial processes such as rain-induced soil erosion and spray coating technologies. In this study, we elucidate the interfacial instabilities formed by air entrainment at the wetting front of impacting droplets on atomically smooth, viscous silicone oil films of constant thickness with varying droplet velocity, viscosity, surface tension, and ambient pressures. A high-speed total internal reflection microscopy technique accounting for the Fresnel relations at the droplet interface allowed for in-situ measurements of an entrained air rim at the wetting front. The growth of the air rim is a prerequisite to the instability which is formed when the gas pressure balances the capillary pressure near the wetting front. A critical capillary number, which inversely scales as the ambient pressure, is predicted and the result agrees well with the experiments. The wavenumber in the instability is shown to increase with viscosity and velocity but decrease with surface tension of the impacting drop. We thus conclude that the instability mechanism is in qualitative agreement with the Saffman-Taylor instability - where the low viscosity air is displacing the higher viscosity droplet. The low We contact line instabilities observed in this study provide a paradigm shift in the conventional understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities under drop impact which usually require We >>10.

The effects of forced small-wavelength, finite-bandwidth initial perturbations and miscibility on the turbulent Rayleigh–Taylor instability

DOE PAGES

Roberts, M. S.; Jacobs, J. W.

2015-12-07

Rayleigh–Taylor instability experiments are performed using both immiscible and miscible incompressible liquid combinations having a relatively large Atwood number ofmore » $$A\\equiv ({\\it\\rho}_{2}-{\\it\\rho}_{1})/({\\it\\rho}_{2}+{\\it\\rho}_{1})=0.48$$. The liquid-filled tank is attached to a test sled that is accelerated downwards along a vertical rail system using a system of weights and pulleys producing approximately$1g$$net acceleration. The tank is backlit and images are digitally recorded using a high-speed video camera. The experiments are either initiated with forced initial perturbations or are left unforced. The forced experiments have an initial perturbation imposed by vertically oscillating the liquid-filled tank to produce Faraday waves at the interface. The unforced experiments rely on random interfacial fluctuations, resulting from background noise, to seed the instability. The main focus of this study is to determine the effects of forced initial perturbations and the effects of miscibility on the growth parameter,$${\\it\\alpha}$$. Measurements of the mixing-layer width,$$h$$, are acquired, from which$${\\it\\alpha}$$is determined. It is found that initial perturbations of the form used in this study do not affect measured$${\\it\\alpha}$$values. However, miscibility is observed to strongly affect$${\\it\\alpha}$$, resulting in a factor of two reduction in its value, a finding not previously observed in past experiments. In addition, all measured$${\\it\\alpha}$values are found to be smaller than those obtained in previous experimental studies.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Experimental demonstration of the stabilizing effect of dielectric coatings on magnetically accelerated imploding metallic liners

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Awe, Thomas James; Peterson, Kyle J.; Yu, Edmund P.

Enhanced implosion stability has been experimentally demonstrated for magnetically accelerated liners that are coated with 70 μm of dielectric. The dielectric tamps liner-mass redistribution from electrothermal instabilities and also buffers coupling of the drive magnetic field to the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability. A dielectric-coated and axially premagnetized beryllium liner was radiographed at a convergence ratio [CR=R in,0/R in(z,t)] of 20, which is the highest CR ever directly observed for a strengthless magnetically driven liner. Lastly, the inner-wall radius R in(z,t) displayed unprecedented uniformity, varying from 95 to 130 μm over the 4.0 mm axial height captured by the radiograph.

Experimental demonstration of the stabilizing effect of dielectric coatings on magnetically accelerated imploding metallic liners

DOE PAGES

Awe, Thomas James; Peterson, Kyle J.; Yu, Edmund P.; ...

2016-02-10

Enhanced implosion stability has been experimentally demonstrated for magnetically accelerated liners that are coated with 70 μm of dielectric. The dielectric tamps liner-mass redistribution from electrothermal instabilities and also buffers coupling of the drive magnetic field to the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability. A dielectric-coated and axially premagnetized beryllium liner was radiographed at a convergence ratio [CR=R in,0/R in(z,t)] of 20, which is the highest CR ever directly observed for a strengthless magnetically driven liner. Lastly, the inner-wall radius R in(z,t) displayed unprecedented uniformity, varying from 95 to 130 μm over the 4.0 mm axial height captured by the radiograph.

The Benjamin Shock Tube Problem in KULL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulitsky, M

2005-08-26

The goal of the EZturb mix model in KULL is to predict the turbulent mixing process as it evolves from Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, or Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. In this report we focus on a simple example of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (which occurs when a shock hits an interface between fluids of different densities) without the complication of reshock. The experiment by Benjamin et al. involving a Mach 1.21 incident shock striking an air / SF6 interface, is a good one to model and understand before moving onto shock tubes that follow the growth of the turbulent mixing zone from first shock throughmore » well after reshock.« less

Mixing and diffusion in intermittent overturning turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redondo, Jose M.; Mahjoub, Otman B.; Gonzalez-Nieto, Pilar L.; Lawry, Andrew

2014-05-01

The improvements in experimental methods and high resolution image analysis are nowadays able to detect subtle changes in the structure of the turbulence over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales [1], we compare the scaling shown by different mixing fronts driven by buoyancy that form a Rayleigh-Taylor mixing front. We use PIV and density front tracking in several experimental configurations akin to geophysical overturning [2-7]. We parametrize the role of unstable stratification by means of the Atwood number and compare both the scaling and the multifractal and the maximum local fractal structure functions of the different markers used to visualize the front. Both reactive and passive scalar tracers are used to investigate the mixing structure and the intermittency of the flow. Different initial conditions are compared and the mixing efficiency of the overal turbulent process evaluated [6-7]. An interesting approach, relating the Multi-Fractal dimension spectra, the intermittency and the spectral exponent is to find relationships that may be used to parameterise the sub-grid turbulence in terms of generalized diffusivities [4 ] that take into account the topology and the self-similarity of the Mixing RT and RM flows. As an example, a relationship between the diffusivity, the exponent β, the intermittency μ, and D(i), may be found for the volume fraction or the concentration, at the same time other locally measured parameters such as the enstrophy or the gradient alignment as well as their multi-fractal structures may turn out to be physically relevant indicators of the local turbulence and the mixing. Several methods of deriving local eddy diffusivity and local entrainment should give more realistic estimates of the spatial/temporal non-homogeneities (and intermittencies in the Kolmogorov 62 sense obtained as spatial correlations of the turbulent dissipation, or from structure functions) and these values may be used to parameterise turbulence at a variety of scales. The method involving the multi-fractal dimension measurements is much more elaborated and seems to have a better theoretical justification in the sense that it is possible that different concentrations showing different fractal dimensions may be due to different levels of intermittency (and thus different spectra, which are not generally in equilibrium as dscribed by[9,10]. Using topological descriptors we can establish now a theoretical baseline pattern for the turbulence behaviour that is reflected in the different structures (volume fraction, velocity, vorticity, helicity) we can thus obtain a classification relating D3 and the integral of the different fractal dimensions D2 for different levels of scalar (volume fraction reaction intensity or temperature). [5,8,11] Vorticity evolution is more smooth and quite different than that of volume fraction or density and these seem also different for the RT and RM instability driven mixing showing a wider range of even higher mixing efficiencies 0- 0.66 Thanks to European Union project ERBIC15-CT96-0111 Multi-scale complex fluid flows and interfacial phenomena (PITN-GA-2008-214919). ERCOFTAC and GenCat. grant 2001SGR00221. [1] Mahjoub O.B., Redondo J.M. and Babiano A. (2000) Hyerarchy flux in nonhomogeneous flows in Turbulent diffusion in the environment Eds. Redondo J.M. and Babiano A. 249-260. . [2] Dalziel, S. B.,(1994) Perturbations and coherent flow in Rayleigh-Taylor instability: in 4th International Workshop on the Physics of Compressible Turbulent Mixing, ed. P. F. Linden, D. L. Youngs, & S. B. Dalziel; 32-41. [3] Linden, P. F., Redondo, J. M., and Youngs, D. (1994) Molecular mixing in Rayleigh-Taylor instability, J. Fluid Mech. 265, 97-124 [4] Vindel, J.M., Yague, C. and Redondo, J.M. Nuovo Cimento (2008) 31, [5]Redondo J.M. (1993) Fractal models of density interfaces. Wavelets, Fractals and Fourier transforms. (Eds.) M. Farge, J.C.R. Hunt and J.C. Vassilicos. 353-370. IMA number 43, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1993 [6] J.M Redondo, J.M. Grau, A. Platonov, G. Garzon, (2008) Rev. Int. Met. Num. Ing. 24, 23. [7] Fraunie P., Berreba S. Chashechkin Y., Velasco D. and Redondo J.M. (2008) LES and laboratory experiments on the decay of grid wakes in strongly stratified flows. Il Nuovo Cimento C 31, 909-930. [8] Redondo J.M. (2002) "Mixing efficiencies of different kinds of turbulent processes and instabilities, Applications to the environment in Turbulent mixing in geophysical flows". Eds. Linden P.F. and Redondo J.M. 131-157. [9] Redondo J.M. (1990). The structure of density interfaces, Ph. D. Thesis, DAMTP University of Cambridge. [10]Redondo J.M. (1987). Effects of ground proximity on dense gas entrainment, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 16, 381-393. [11] Lopez, P., Cano, J.L. and Redondo, J.M.(2008) An experimental model of mixing processes generated by an array of top-heavy turbulent plumes, Il Nuovo Cimento, 31C, 679-698.

Stabilization of high-compression, indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions using a 4-shock adiabat-shaped drive

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacPhee, A. G.; Peterson, J. L.; Casey, D. T.

Hydrodynamic instabilities and poor fuel compression are major factors for capsule performance degradation in ignition experiments on the National Ignition Facility. Using a recently developed laser drive profile with a decaying first shock to tune the ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov (ARM) instability and subsequent in-flight Rayleigh-Taylor growth, we have demonstrated reduced growth compared to the standard ignition pulse whilst maintaining conditions for a low fuel adiabat needed for increased compression. Using in-flight x-ray radiography of pre-machined modulations, the first growth measurements using this new ARM-tuned drive have demonstrated instability growth reduction of ∼4× compared to the original design at a convergence ratiomore » of ∼2. Corresponding simulations give a fuel adiabat of ∼1.6, similar to the original goal and consistent with ignition requirements.« less

Stabilization of high-compression, indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions using a 4-shock adiabat-shaped drive

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacPhee, A. G.; Peterson, J. L.; Casey, D. T.

Hydrodynamic instabilities and poor fuel compression are major factors for capsule performance degradation in ignition experiments on the National Ignition Facility. Using a recently developed laser drive profile with a decaying first shock to tune the ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov (ARM) instability and subsequent in-flight Rayleigh-Taylor growth, we have demonstrated reduced growth compared to the standard ignition pulse whilst maintaining conditions for a low fuel adiabat needed for increased compression. Here, using in-flight x-ray radiography of pre-machined modulations, the first growth measurements using this new ARM-tuned drive have demonstrated instability growth reduction of ~4× compared to the original design at a convergencemore » ratio of ~2. Corresponding simulations give a fuel adiabat of ~1.6, similar to the original goal and consistent with ignition requirements.« less

Flow instabilities due to the interfacial formation of surfactant-fatty acid material in a Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niroobakhsh, Zahra; Litman, Matthew; Belmonte, Andrew

2017-11-01

We present an experimental study of pattern formation during the penetration of an aqueous surfactant solution into a liquid fatty acid in a Hele-Shaw cell. When a solution of the cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride is injected into oleic acid, a wide variety of fingering patterns are observed as a function of surfactant concentration and flow rate, which are strikingly different than the classic Saffman-Taylor (ST) instability. We observe evidence of interfacial material forming between the two liquids, causing these instabilities. Moreover, the number of fingers decreases with increasing flow rate Q , while the average finger width increases with Q , both trends opposite to the ST case. Bulk rheology on related mixtures indicates a gel-like state. Comparison of experiments using other oils indicates the importance of pH and the carboxylic head group in the formation of the surfactant-fatty acid material.

A Hydrodynamic Instability Is Used to Create Aesthetically Appealing Patterns in Painting

PubMed Central

Zetina, Sandra; Godínez, Francisco A.; Zenit, Roberto

2015-01-01

Painters often acquire a deep empirical knowledge of the way in which paints and inks behave. Through experimentation and practice, they can control the way in which fluids move and deform to create textures and images. David Alfaro Siqueiros, a recognized Mexican muralist, invented an accidental painting technique to create new and unexpected textures. By pouring layers of paint of different colors on a horizontal surface, the paints infiltrate into each other creating patterns of aesthetic value. In this investigation, we reproduce the technique in a controlled manner. We found that for the correct color combination, the dual viscous layer becomes Rayleigh-Taylor unstable: the density mismatch of the two color paints drives the formation of a spotted pattern. Experiments and a linear instability analysis were conducted to understand the properties of the process. We also argue that this flow configuration can be used to study the linear properties of this instability. PMID:25942586

Stabilization of high-compression, indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions using a 4-shock adiabat-shaped drive

DOE PAGES

MacPhee, A. G.; Peterson, J. L.; Casey, D. T.; ...

2015-08-01

Hydrodynamic instabilities and poor fuel compression are major factors for capsule performance degradation in ignition experiments on the National Ignition Facility. Using a recently developed laser drive profile with a decaying first shock to tune the ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov (ARM) instability and subsequent in-flight Rayleigh-Taylor growth, we have demonstrated reduced growth compared to the standard ignition pulse whilst maintaining conditions for a low fuel adiabat needed for increased compression. Here, using in-flight x-ray radiography of pre-machined modulations, the first growth measurements using this new ARM-tuned drive have demonstrated instability growth reduction of ~4× compared to the original design at a convergencemore » ratio of ~2. Corresponding simulations give a fuel adiabat of ~1.6, similar to the original goal and consistent with ignition requirements.« less

The effects of stabilizing and destabilizing longitudinal curvature on the structure of turbulent, two-stream mixing layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plesniak, Michael W.; Johnston, J. P.

1989-01-01

The construction and development of the multi-component traversing system and associated control hardware and software are presented. A hydrogen bubble/laser sheet flow visualization technique was developed to visually study the characteristics of the mixing layers. With this technique large-scale rollers arising from the Taylor-Gortler instability and its interaction with the primary Kelvin-Helmholtz structures can be studied.

Monoenergetic ion acceleration and Rayleigh-Taylor instability of the composite target irradiated by the laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khudik, Vladimir; Yi, S. Austin; Shvets, Gennady

2012-10-01

Acceleration of ions in the two-specie composite target irradiated by a circularly polarized laser pulse is studied analytically and via particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. A self-consistent analytical model of the composite target is developed. In this model, target parameters are stationary in the center of mass of the system: heavy and light ions are completely separated from each other and form two layers, while electrons are bouncing in the potential well formed by the laser ponderomotive and electrostatic potentials. They are distributed in the direction of acceleration by the Boltzmann law and over velocities by the Maxwell-Juttner law. The laser pulse interacts directly only with electrons in a thin sheath layer, and these electrons transfer the laser pressure to the target ions. In the fluid approximation it is shown, the composite target is still susceptible to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability [1]. Using PIC simulations we found the growth rate of initially seeded perturbations as a function of their wavenumber for different composite target parameters and compare it with analytical results. Useful scaling laws between this rate and laser pulse pressure and target parameters are discussed.[4pt] [1] T.P. Yu, A. Pukhov, G. Shvets, M. Chen, T. H. Ratliff, S. A. Yi, and V. Khudik, Phys. Plasmas, 18, 043110 (2011).

rpSPH: a novel smoothed particle hydrodynamics algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abel, Tom

2011-05-01

We suggest a novel discretization of the momentum equation for smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and show that it significantly improves the accuracy of the obtained solutions. Our new formulation which we refer to as relative pressure SPH, rpSPH, evaluates the pressure force with respect to the local pressure. It respects Newton's first law of motion and applies forces to particles only when there is a net force acting upon them. This is in contrast to standard SPH which explicitly uses Newton's third law of motion continuously applying equal but opposite forces between particles. rpSPH does not show the unphysical particle noise, the clumping or banding instability, unphysical surface tension and unphysical scattering of different mass particles found for standard SPH. At the same time, it uses fewer computational operations and only changes a single line in existing SPH codes. We demonstrate its performance on isobaric uniform density distributions, uniform density shearing flows, the Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, the Sod shock tube, the Sedov-Taylor blast wave and a cosmological integration of the Santa Barbara galaxy cluster formation test. rpSPH is an improvement in these cases. The improvements come at the cost of giving up exact momentum conservation of the scheme. Consequently, one can also obtain unphysical solutions particularly at low resolutions.

Controlling Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities in Magnetically Driven Solid Metal Shells by Means of a Dynamic Screw Pinch

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmit, P. F.; Velikovich, A. L.; McBride, R. D.

Magnetically driven implosions of solid metal shells are an effective vehicle to compress materials to extreme pressures and densities. Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities (RTI) are ubiquitous, yet typically undesired features in all such experiments where solid materials are rapidly accelerated to high velocities. In cylindrical shells (“liners”), the magnetic field driving the implosion can exacerbate the RTI. Here, we suggest an approach to implode solid metal liners enabling a remarkable reduction in the growth of magnetized RTI (MRTI) by employing a magnetic drive with a tilted, dynamic polarization, forming a dynamic screw pinch. Our calculations, based on a self-consistent analytic framework, demonstratemore » that the cumulative growth of the most deleterious MRTI modes may be reduced by as much as 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. One key application of this technique is to generate increasingly stable, higher-performance implosions of solid metal liners to achieve fusion [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)]. Finally, we weigh the potentially dramatic benefits of the solid liner dynamic screw pinch against the experimental tradeoffs required to achieve the desired drive field history and identify promising designs for future experimental and computational studies.« less

Nonlinear Evolution of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in a Radiation-supported Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yan-Fei; Davis, Shane W.; Stone, James M.

2013-02-01

The nonlinear regime of Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in a radiation supported atmosphere, consisting of two uniform fluids with different densities, is studied numerically. We perform simulations using our recently developed numerical algorithm for multi-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics based on a variable Eddington tensor (VET) as implemented in Athena, focusing on the regime where scattering opacity greatly exceeds absorption opacity. We find that the radiation field can reduce the growth and mixing rate of RTI, but this reduction is only significant when radiation pressure significantly exceeds gas pressure. Small-scale structures are also suppressed in this case. In the nonlinear regime, dense fingers sink faster than rarefied bubbles can rise, leading to asymmetric structures about the interface. By comparing the calculations that use a VET versus the Eddington approximation, we demonstrate that anisotropy in the radiation field can affect the nonlinear development of RTI significantly. We also examine the disruption of a shell of cold gas being accelerated by strong radiation pressure, motivated by models of radiation driven outflows in ultraluminous infrared galaxies. We find that when the growth timescale of RTI is smaller than acceleration timescale, the amount of gas that would be pushed away by the radiation field is reduced due to RTI.

Single-Mode Deceleration Stage Rayleigh-Taylor Instability Growth in Cylindrical Implosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauppe, J. P.; Palaniyappan, S.; Bradley, P. A.; Batha, S. H.; Loomis, E. N.; Kline, J. L.; Srinivasan, B.; Bose, A.; Malka, E.; Shvarts, D.

2017-10-01

We present design calculations demonstrating the feasibility of measuring single-mode deceleration stage Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) growth at a factor of four convergence. RTI growth rates are modified as a result of convergence [Bell LA-1321, 1951], and cylindrical targets are considered here, as they allow direct diagnostic access along the interface. The 2D computations, performed with the radiation-hydrodynamics code xRAGE [Gittings et al., CSD 2008] utilizing a new laser ray-tracing package, predict growth factors of 6 to 10 for mode 10 and 4 to 6 for mode 4, both of high interest in evaluating inertial confinement fusion capsule degradation mechanisms [Bose et al., this conference]. These results compare favorably to a linear theory [Epstein, PoP 2004] and to a buoyancy-drag model [Srebro et al., LPB 2003], which accounts for the linear and non-linear stages. Synthetic radiographs, produced by combining 2D computations of axial and transverse cross-sections, indicate this growth will be observable, and these will be compared to experimental data obtained at the OMEGA laser facility. Work performed by Los Alamos National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-06NA25396 for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy. (LA-UR-17-25608).

Effects of a semi-infinite stratification on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an interface with surface tension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Andrea González, Ángel; González-Gutiérrez, Leo M.

2017-09-01

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in an infinite slab where a constant density lower fluid is initially separated from an upper stratified fluid is discussed in linear regime. The upper fluid is of increasing exponential density and surface tension is considered between both of them. It was found useful to study stability by using the initial value problem approach (IVP), so that we ensure the inclusion of certain continuum modes, otherwise neglected. This methodology includes the branch cut in the complex plane, consequently, in addition to discrete modes (surface RTI modes), a set of continuum modes (internal RTI modes) also appears. As a result, the usual information given by the normal mode method is now complete. Furthermore, a new role is found for surface tension: to transform surface RTI modes (discrete spectrum) into internal RTI modes belonging to a continuous spectrum at a critical wavenumber. As a consequence, the cut-off wavenumber disappears: i.e. the growth rate of the RTI surface mode does not decay to zero at the cut-off wavenumber, as previous researchers used to believe. Finally, we found that, due to the continuum, the asymptotic behavior of the perturbation with respect to time is slower than the exponential when only the continuous spectrum exists.

Viscous-resistive layer in Rayleigh-Taylor instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silveira, F. E. M.; Orlandi, H. I.

2017-03-01

In this work, new scaling laws of the time growth rate γ of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability with the plasma resistivity η, kinematic viscosity ν, and electron number density ne are derived. A viscosity scale is defined in terms of the time decay of the perturbative fluid flow perpendicular to the equilibrium magnetic field, at the quasi-static approximation. Such a scale provides the identification of a viscous layer that can be combined with the resistive layer to produce a viscous-resistive layer. The latter, in turn, is found to satisfy an algebraic biquadratic equation. When viscous effects are negligible, it is shown that the viscous-resistive layer is given by the resistive layer. Somewhat surprisingly, when viscous effects cannot be neglected, it is shown that the viscous-resistive layer is given by the geometric mean of the resistive and viscous layers. A dispersion relation for the time growth rate is derived in terms of the viscous-resistive layer. When viscous effects cannot be neglected, two new scaling laws are found. At the quasi-static approximation, it is shown that γ ˜ (ην)1/4. However, on account of a finite electron mass, it is shown that γ˜(ν/ne ) 1 /3 . Further developments of our formulation are addressed in connection with a finite compressibility in the perturbative flow.

Controlling Rayleigh-Taylor Instabilities in Magnetically Driven Solid Metal Shells by Means of a Dynamic Screw Pinch

DOE PAGES

Schmit, P. F.; Velikovich, A. L.; McBride, R. D.; ...

2016-11-11

Magnetically driven implosions of solid metal shells are an effective vehicle to compress materials to extreme pressures and densities. Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities (RTI) are ubiquitous, yet typically undesired features in all such experiments where solid materials are rapidly accelerated to high velocities. In cylindrical shells (“liners”), the magnetic field driving the implosion can exacerbate the RTI. Here, we suggest an approach to implode solid metal liners enabling a remarkable reduction in the growth of magnetized RTI (MRTI) by employing a magnetic drive with a tilted, dynamic polarization, forming a dynamic screw pinch. Our calculations, based on a self-consistent analytic framework, demonstratemore » that the cumulative growth of the most deleterious MRTI modes may be reduced by as much as 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. One key application of this technique is to generate increasingly stable, higher-performance implosions of solid metal liners to achieve fusion [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)]. Finally, we weigh the potentially dramatic benefits of the solid liner dynamic screw pinch against the experimental tradeoffs required to achieve the desired drive field history and identify promising designs for future experimental and computational studies.« less

Small-amplitude magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth in cylindrical liners and Z-pinches imploded in an axial magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velikovich, A. L.; Giuliani, J. L.; Clark, R. W.; Mikitchuk, D.; Kroupp, E.; Maron, Y.; Fisher, A.; Schmit, P. F.

2014-10-01

Recent progress in developing the MagLIF approach to pulsed-power driven inertial confinement fusion has stimulated the interest in observation and mitigation of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRTI) of liners and Z-pinches imploded in an axial magnetic field. Theoretical analysis of these issues is particularly important because direct numerical simulation of the MRTI development is challenging due to intrinsically 3D helical structure of the fastest-growing modes. We review the analytical small-amplitude theory of the MRTI perturbation development and the weakly nonlinear theory of MRTI mode interaction, emphasizing basic physics, opportunity for 3D code verification against exact analytical solutions, and stabilization criteria. The theory is compared to the experimental results obtained at Weizmann Institute with gas-puff Z pinches and on the Z facility at Sandia with solid liners imploded in an axial magnetic field. Work supported by the US DOE/NNSA, and by the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Integrity of the Plasma Magnetic Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerwin, Richard A.

2009-01-01

This report examines the physics governing certain aspects of plasma propellant flow through a magnetic nozzle, specifically the integrity of the interface between the plasma and the nozzle s magnetic field. The injection of 100s of eV plasma into a magnetic flux nozzle that converts thermal energy into directed thrust is fundamental to enabling 10 000s of seconds specific impulse and 10s of kW/kg specific power piloted interplanetary propulsion. An expression for the initial thickness of the interface is derived and found to be approx.10(exp -2) m. An algorithm is reviewed and applied to compare classical resistivity to gradient-driven microturbulent (anomalous) resistivity, in terms of the spatial rate and time integral of resistive interface broadening, which can then be related to the geometry of the nozzle. An algorithm characterizing plasma temperature, density, and velocity dependencies is derived and found to be comparable to classical resistivity at local plasma temperatures of approx. 200 eV. Macroscopic flute-mode instabilities in regions of "adverse magnetic curvature" are discussed; a growth rate formula is derived and found to be one to two e-foldings of the most unstable Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mode. After establishing the necessity of incorporating the Hall effect into Ohm s law (allowing full Hall current to flow and concomitant plasma rotation), a critical nozzle length expression is derived in which the interface thickness is limited to about 1 ion gyroradius.

Interplay between electric fields generated by reconnection and by secondary processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapenta, G.; Innocenti, M. E.; Pucci, F.; Cazzola, E.; Berchem, J.; Newman, D. L.; El-Alaoui, M.; Walker, R. J.; Goldman, M. V.; Ergun, R.

2017-12-01

Reconnection regions are surrounded by several sources of free energy that push reconnection towards a turbulent regime: beams can drive streaming instabilities, currents can drive tearing like secondary instabilities, velocity and density shears can drive Kelvin-Helmholtz or Rayleigh-Taylor type of instabilities. The interaction between these instabilities can be very complex. For instance, from a kinetic point of view, instabilities resulting from shears are intermixed with drift-type instabilities, such as drift-kink, kink driven by relative species drift, lower hybrid modes of the electrostatic or electromagnetic type. In addition, the interaction with reconnection is two ways: reconnection causes the conditions for those instabilities to develop while the instabilities alter the progress of reconnection. Although MMS has observed features that can be associated with such instabilities: strong localized parallel electric fields (monopolar and bipolar), fluctuations in the drift range (lower hybrid, whistler), it has been difficult to determine which ones operate and how they differ depending on the symmetric and asymmetric reconnection configurations observed in the magnetotail and at the magnetopause, respectively. We present a comparison between the results of kinetic simulations obtained for typical magnetotail and the magnetopause configurations, using for each of them both analytical equilibria and results of global MHD simulations to initialize the iPIC3D simulations. By selecting what drivers (e.g. shear/no shear) are present, we can identify what instabilities develop and determine their effects on the progression of reconnection in the magnetotail and at the magnetopause. We focus especially on the role of drift waves and whistler instabilities, and discuss our results by comparing them with MMS observations.

On the compressible Taylor?Couette problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manela, A.; Frankel, I.

We consider the linear temporal stability of a Couette flow of a Maxwell gas within the gap between a rotating inner cylinder and a concentric stationary outer cylinder both maintained at the same temperature. The neutral curve is obtained for arbitrary Mach (Ma) and arbitrarily small Knudsen (Kn) numbers by use of a continuum model and is verified via comparison to direct simulation Monte Carlo results. At subsonic rotation speeds we find, for the radial ratios considered here, that the neutral curve nearly coincides with the constant-Reynolds-number curve pertaining to the critical value for the onset of instability in the corresponding incompressible-flow problem. With increasing Mach number, transition is deferred to larger Reynolds numbers. It is remarkable that for a fixed Reynolds number, instability is always eventually suppressed beyond some supersonic rotation speed. To clarify this we examine the variation with increasing (Ma) of the reference Couette flow and analyse the narrow-gap limit of the compressible TC problem. The results of these suggest that, as in the incompressible problem, the onset of instability at supersonic speeds is still essentially determined through the balance of inertial and viscous-dissipative effects. Suppression of instability is brought about by increased rates of dissipation associated with the elevated bulk-fluid temperatures occurring at supersonic speeds. A useful approximation is obtained for the neutral curve throughout the entire range of Mach numbers by an adaptation of the familiar incompressible stability criteria with the critical Reynolds (or Taylor) numbers now based on average fluid properties. The narrow-gap analysis further indicates that the resulting approximate neutral curve obtained in the (Ma, Kn) plane consists of two branches: (i) the subsonic part corresponding to a constant ratio (Ma/Kn) (i.e. a constant critical Reynolds number) and (ii) a supersonic branch which at large Ma values corresponds to a constant product Ma Kn. Finally, our analysis helps to resolve some conflicting views in the literature regarding apparently destabilizing compressibility effects.

Bridgman Growth of Germanium Crystals in a Rotating Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Schweizer, M.; Cobb, S. D.; Walker, J. S.; Szofran, F. R.; Curreri, Peter A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A series of (100)-oriented gallium-doped germanium crystals have been grown by the Bridgman method and under the influence of a rotating magnetic field (RMF). The RMF has a marked affect on the interface shape, changing it from concave to nearly flat. The onset of time-dependent flow instabilities occurs when the critical magnetic Taylor number is exceeded, and this can be observed by noting the appearance of striations in the grown crystals. The critical magnetic Taylor number is a sensitive function of the aspect ratio and, as the crystal grows under a constant applied magnetic field, the induced striations change from nonperiodic to periodic, undergo a period-doubling transition, and then cease to exist. Also, by pulsing the RMF on and off, it is shown that intentional interface demarcations can be introduced.

Influence of external extrusion on stability of hydrogen molecule and its chaotic behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarosik, M. W.; SzczÈ©śniak, R.; Durajski, A. P.; Kalaga, J. K.; Leoński, W.

2018-01-01

We have determined the stability conditions of the hydrogen molecule under the influence of an external force of harmonic-type explicitly dependent on the amplitude (A) and frequency (Ω). The ground state of the molecule has been determined in the framework of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, whereas the energy of the electronic subsystem has been calculated using the Hubbard model including all two-site electron interactions. The diagram of RT0(A ,Ω) , where RT0 denotes the distance between protons after the fixed initial time T0, allowed us to visualize the area of the instability with the complicated structure. We have shown that the vibrations of the hydrogen molecule have a chaotic nature for some points of the instability region. In addition to the amplitude and frequency of the extrusion, the control parameter of the stability of the molecule is the external force associated with pressure. The increase in its value causes the disappearance of the area of the instability and chaotic vibrations.

Influence of temperature on linear stability in buoyancy-driven fingering of reaction-diffusion fronts.

PubMed

Levitán, D; D'Onofrio, A

2012-09-01

A vertical Hele-Shaw cell was used to study the influence of temperature on Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities on reaction-diffusion fronts. The propagation of the chemical front can thus be observed, and experimental results can be obtained via image treatment. A chemical front produced by the coupling between molecular diffusion and the auto-catalysis of the chlorite-tetrathionate reaction, descends through the cell, consuming the reactants below while the product is formed above. Buoyancy-driven instabilities are formed due to the density difference between reactants and products, and the front takes a fingering pattern, whose growth rate has temperature dependence. In this study, the effect of temperature on the linear regime of the instability (that is, when the effects of such instability start to appear) was analyzed. To measure the instability, Fourier transform analysis is performed, in order to obtain the different wave numbers and their power as a function of time. Thus, the growth rate for each wave number and the most unstable wave number is obtained for each of the temperatures under study. Based on repeated experiments, a decrease in the growth rate for the most unstable wave number can be observed with the increase of temperature.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Enhancing Understanding of Magnetized High Energy Density Plasmas from Solid Liner Implosions Using Fluid Modeling with Kinetic Closures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

On physical and numerical instabilities arising in simulations of non-stationary radiatively cooling shocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Instability growth for magnetized liner inertial fusion seeded by electro-thermal, electro-choric, and material strength effects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pecover, J. D.; Chittenden, J. P.

A critical limitation of magnetically imploded systems such as magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) [Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)] is the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability which primarily disrupts the outer surface of the liner. MagLIF-relevant experiments have showed large amplitude multi-mode MRT instability growth growing from surface roughness [McBride et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 135004 (2012)], which is only reproduced by 3D simulations using our MHD code Gorgon when an artificially azimuthally correlated initialisation is added. We have shown that the missing azimuthal correlation could be provided by a combination of the electro-thermal instability (ETI) and anmore » “electro-choric” instability (ECI); describing, respectively, the tendency of current to correlate azimuthally early in time due to temperature dependent Ohmic heating; and an amplification of the ETI driven by density dependent resistivity around vapourisation. We developed and implemented a material strength model in Gorgon to improve simulation of the solid phase of liner implosions which, when applied to simulations exhibiting the ETI and ECI, gave a significant increase in wavelength and amplitude. Full circumference simulations of the MRT instability provided a significant improvement on previous randomly initialised results and approached agreement with experiment.« less

Azimuthal magnetorotational instability with super-rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rüdiger, G.; Schultz, M.; Gellert, M.; Stefani, F.

2018-02-01

It is demonstrated that the azimuthal magnetorotational instability (AMRI) also works with radially increasing rotation rates contrary to the standard magnetorotational instability for axial fields which requires negative shear. The stability against non-axisymmetric perturbations of a conducting Taylor-Couette flow with positive shear under the influence of a toroidal magnetic field is considered if the background field between the cylinders is current free. For small magnetic Prandtl number the curves of neutral stability converge in the (Hartmann number,Reynolds number) plane approximating the stability curve obtained in the inductionless limit . The numerical solutions for indicate the existence of a lower limit of the shear rate. For large the curves scale with the magnetic Reynolds number of the outer cylinder but the flow is always stable for magnetic Prandtl number unity as is typical for double-diffusive instabilities. We are particularly interested to know the minimum Hartmann number for neutral stability. For models with resting or almost resting inner cylinder and with perfectly conducting cylinder material the minimum Hartmann number occurs for a radius ratio of \\text{in}=0.9$ . The corresponding critical Reynolds numbers are smaller than 4$ .

Nonlinear modeling of wave-topography interactions, shear instabilities and shear induced wave breaking using vortex method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guha, Anirban

2017-11-01

Theoretical studies on linear shear instabilities as well as different kinds of wave interactions often use simple velocity and/or density profiles (e.g. constant, piecewise) for obtaining good qualitative and quantitative predictions of the initial disturbances. Moreover, such simple profiles provide a minimal model to obtain a mechanistic understanding of shear instabilities. Here we have extended this minimal paradigm into nonlinear domain using vortex method. Making use of unsteady Bernoulli's equation in presence of linear shear, and extending Birkhoff-Rott equation to multiple interfaces, we have numerically simulated the interaction between multiple fully nonlinear waves. This methodology is quite general, and has allowed us to simulate diverse problems that can be essentially reduced to the minimal system with interacting waves, e.g. spilling and plunging breakers, stratified shear instabilities (Holmboe, Taylor-Caulfield, stratified Rayleigh), jet flows, and even wave-topography interaction problem like Bragg resonance. We found that the minimal models capture key nonlinear features (e.g. wave breaking features like cusp formation and roll-ups) which are observed in experiments and/or extensive simulations with smooth, realistic profiles.

An Analysis of Unseasonal Equatorial Plasma Bubbles in July 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, B. A.; Currie, J. L.; Pradipta, R.; Groves, K. M.; Caton, R. G.; Yokoyama, T.

2017-12-01

In the equatorial ionosphere, the Raleigh-Taylor (RT) plasma instability in the post sunset region is known to cause plasma depletions, known as equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs). These EPBs can have adverse effects on satellite-reliant technologies by causing scintillations in the phase and amplitude of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. The effect of EPBs on satellite-reliant technologies highlights a need for reliable forecasting of EPBs in the low-latitude regions, which requires a solid understanding of their climatology and daily variability. The climatology of EPB occurrence is known to correlate with the angle between the magnetic field and solar terminator. This angle controls the longitudinal E-region conductivity gradient across the day-night terminator, which influences the strength of the pre-reversal enhancement in the upward plasma drift, a dominant term in the linear RT growth rate. This relationship is well established from ground-based GNSS and satellite-based studies. However, reliable forecasts have not been developed by space weather forecasting agencies due to the lack of understanding of EPB daily variability. During July, EPB occurrence is small in the South-East Asia longitude sector due to the relatively large angle between the magnetic field and solar terminator. As a result, the pre-reversal enhancement in the upward plasma drift is typically low during this period, creating less favourable conditions for EPB growth. However, despite the typically low pre-reversal enhancement strength, this analysis reveals that July 2014 is not devoid of EPB events above South-East Asia. These unseasonal EPB events during July 2014 are studied in the context of the prevalently low solar and geomagnetic activity conditions. Given the lack of solar and geomagnetic control, the influence of the lower atmosphere on EPB generation (e.g., via atmospheric gravity wave seeding) is explored. These events provide a unique opportunity to investigate the factors that affect the daily variability of EPBs, which will contribute towards the development of EPB prediction capabilities.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andronov, V.A.; Zhidov, I.G.; Meskov, E.E.

The report presents the basic results of some calculations, theoretical and experimental efforts in the study of Rayleigh-Taylor, Kelvin-Helmholtz, Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities and the turbulent mixing which is caused by their evolution. Since the late forties the VNIIEF has been conducting these investigations. This report is based on the data which were published in different times in Russian and foreign journals. The first part of the report deals with calculations an theoretical techniques for the description of hydrodynamic instabilities applied currently, as well as with the results of several individual problems and their comparison with the experiment. These methods can bemore » divided into two types: direct numerical simulation methods and phenomenological methods. The first type includes the regular 2D and 3D gasdynamical techniques as well as the techniques based on small perturbation approximation and on incompressible liquid approximation. The second type comprises the techniques based on various phenomenological turbulence models. The second part of the report describes the experimental methods and cites the experimental results of Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meskov instability studies as well as of turbulent mixing. The applied methods were based on thin-film gaseous models, on jelly models and liquid layer models. The research was done for plane and cylindrical geometries. As drivers, the shock tubes of different designs were used as well as gaseous explosive mixtures, compressed air and electric wire explosions. The experimental results were applied in calculational-theoretical technique calibrations. The authors did not aim at covering all VNIIEF research done in this field of science. To a great extent the choice of the material depended on the personal contribution of the author in these studies.« less

Wire array Z-pinch insights for enhanced x-ray production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Quasi-two-dimensional nonlinear evolution of helical magnetorotational instability in a magnetized Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Modeling, measuring, and mitigating instability growth in liner implosions on Z

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Territorial characteristics of low frequency electrostatic fluctuations in a simple magnetized torus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaur, R.; Singh, R.; Sarada Sree, A.

2011-01-15

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 magneticmore » 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.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Mixing and Transport in the Solar Nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boss, Alan P.

2003-01-01

Boss & Vanhala (2000, 2001) prepared reviews of triggered collapse and injection models, using Prudence Foster's finite differences code at very high spatial resolution (440 x 1440 cells) to demonstrate the convergence of the R-T fingers in triggered injection models. A two dimensional hydrodynamical calculation with unprecedentedly high spatial resolution (960 x 2880 zones, or almost 3 million grid points) demonstrated that it suitable shock front can both trigger the collapse of an otherwise stable presolar cloud, and inject shock front particles into the collapsing cloud through the formation of what become Rayleigh-Taylor fingers of compressed fluid layers falling into the gravitational potential well of the growing protostar. These calculations suggest that heterogeneity derived from these R-T fingers will persist down to the scale of their injection onto the surface of the solar nebula. Haghighipour developed a numerical code capable of calculating the orbital evolution of dust grains of varied sizes in a gaseous nebula, subject to Epstein and Stokes drag as well as the self-gravity of the disk. In collaboration with the PI and George W. Wetherill, Haghighipour has been involved in development of a new idea on the possibility of rapid formation of ice giant planets via the disk instability mechanism. Haghighipour studied the stability of a five-body system consisting of the Sun and four protoplanets by numerically integrating their equations of motions. Using Levison and Duncan s SWIFT integrator, Haghighipour showed that, depending on the orbital parameters of the bodies, such a system can be stable for 0.1-10 Myr. Time periods of 1 Myr or more are long enough to be consistent with the time scale proposed for the formation of giant planets by the disk instability mechanism and the photoevaporation of the gaseous envelopes of the outermost protoplanets by a nearby OB star, resulting in the formation of ice giant planets. The PI has used his three dimensional models of marginally gravitationally unstable disks to study the preservation of isotopic heterogeneity in evolving protoplanetary disks. Such heterogeneity might arise from the infall onto the disk s surface of solids processed in the X-wind region of the disk, or derived from stellar nucleosynthesis and injected by R-T fingers. The technique used consists of solving a color equation, identical to the gas continuity equation, which follows the time evolution in three space dimensions of an arbitrarily placed initial color field, i.e., a dye inserted the disk. The models show that significant concentrations of color could persist for time periods of about a thousand years or more, even in the most dynamically active region of such a disk. Such a time period might be long enough for solids to coagulate and grow to significant sizes while retaining the isotopic signature of their birth region in the nebula.

Comment on "Deep mixing of 3He: reconciling Big Bang and stellar nucleosynthesis".

PubMed

Balser, Dana S; Rood, Robert T; Bania, T M

2007-08-31

Eggleton et al. (Reports, 8 December 2006, p. 1580) reported on a deep-mixing mechanism in low-mass stars caused by a Rayleigh-Taylor instability that destroys all of the helium isotope 3He produced during the star's lifetime. Observations of 3He in planetary nebulae, however, indicate that some stars produce prodigious amounts of 3He. This is inconsistent with the claim that all low-mass stars should destroy 3He.

The decay of a simple eddy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bateman, H

1923-01-01

The principal result obtained in this report is a generalization of Taylor's formula for a simple eddy. The discussion of the properties of the eddy indicates that there is a slight analogy between the theory of eddies in a viscous fluid and the quantum theory of radiation. Another exact solution of the equations of motion of viscous fluid yields a result which reminds one of the well-known condition for instability in the case of a horizontally stratified atmosphere.

Weakly nonlinear incompressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical and planar geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-02-01

The relationship between the weakly nonlinear (WN) solutions of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry [Zhang et al., Phys. Plasmas 24, 062703 (2017)] and those in planar geometry [Wang et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 112706 (2012)] is analyzed. In the high-mode perturbation limit ( Pn(cos θ), n ≫1 ), it is found that at the equator, the contributions of mode P2 n along with its neighboring modes, mode P3 n along with its neighboring modes, and mode Pn at the third order along with its neighboring modes are equal to those of the second harmonic, the third harmonic, and the third-order feedback to the fundamental mode, respectively, in the planar case with a perturbation of the same wave vector and amplitude as those at the equator. The trends of WN results in spherical geometry towards the corresponding planar counterparts are found, and the convergence behaviors of the neighboring modes of Pn, P2 n , and P3 n are analyzed. Moreover, the spectra generated from the high-mode perturbations in the WN regime are provided. For low-mode perturbations, it is found that the fundamental modes saturate at larger amplitudes than the planar result. The geometry effect makes the bubbles at or near the equator grow faster than the bubbles in planar geometry in the WN regime.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, L. F.; State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083; Ye, W. H.

2010-05-15

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 themore » nonlinear saturation amplitude (NSA) to exceed the classical prediction, 0.1lambda. 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.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

The growth and decay of equatorial backscatter plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsunoda, R. T.

1980-02-01

During the past three years, a series of rocket experiments from the Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, were conducted to investigate the character of intense, scintillation-producing irregularities that occur in the nighttime equatorial ionosphere. Because the source mechanism of equatorial irregularities, believed to be the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, is analogous to that which generates plasma-density striations in a nuclear-induced environment, there is considerable interest in the underlying physics that controls the characteristics of these irregularities. A primary objective of ALTAIR investigations of equatorial irregularities is to seek an understanding of the underlying physics by establishing the relationship between meter-scale irregularities (detected by ALTAIR), and the large-scale plasma-density depletions (or 'bubbles') that contain the kilometer-scale, scintillation-producing irregularities. We describe the time evolution of backscatter 'plumes' produced by one meter equatorial field-aligned irregularities. Using ALTAIR, a fully steerable backscatter radar, to repeatedly map selected plumes, we characterize the dynamic behavior of plumes in terms of growth and a decay phase. Most of the observed characteristics are found to be consistent with equatorial-irregularity generation predicted by current theories of Rayleigh-Taylor and gradient-drift instabilities. However, other characteristics have been found that suggest key roles played by the eastward neutral wind and by altitude-modulation of the bottomside F layer in establishing the initial conditions for plume growth.

Bell-Plesset effects in Rayleigh-Taylor instability of finite-thickness spherical and cylindrical shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velikovich, A. L.; Schmit, P. F.

2015-11-01

Bell-Plesset effects accounting for the time dependence of the radius, velocity and acceleration of the Rayleigh-Taylor-unstable surface are ubiquitous in the instability of spherical laser targets and magnetically driven cylindrical liners. We present an analytical model that, for an ideal incompressible fluid and small perturbation amplitudes, exactly accounts for the Bell-Plesset effects in finite-thickness targets and liners through acceleration and deceleration phases. We derive the time-dependent dispersion equations determining the ``instantaneous growth rate'' and demonstrate that by integrating this growth rate over time (the WKB approximation) we accurately evaluate the number of perturbation e-foldings during the acceleration phase. In the limit of the small target/liner thickness, we obtain the exact thin-shell perturbation equations and approximate thin-shell dispersion relations, generalizing the earlier results of Harris (1962), Ott (1972) and Bud'ko et al. (1989). This research was supported by the US DOE/NNSA (A.L.V.), and in part by appointment to the Sandia National Laboratories Truman Fellowship in National Security Science and Engineering (P.F.S.), which is part of the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program, Project No. 165746, and sponsored by Sandia Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation) as Operator of Sandia National Laboratories under its U.S. Department of Energy Contract No. DE-AC04-94AL85000.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Fragmentation of Newtonian and viscoelastic liquids during rotary atomization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshavarz, Bavand; Moore, John; Houze, Eric; Koerner, Michael; McKinley, Gareth; MIT Collaboration; Axalta Coating Systems Collaboration

2015-11-01

Animals drying their wet fur by rapidly shaking their body and rotary atomization in paint coating are just a few examples in which centripetal acceleration is used to disintegrate liquid films into smaller fragments. Narrower size distributions and well-defined geometrical fluid pathlines (similar to the involute of a circle) are the main advantages of this type of atomization as compared to air-assisted atomization. Despite these inherent advantages there is a paucity of fundamental knowledge about the roles of fluid rheology in this process. We study the effects of viscosity by performing rotary atomization tests on silicone oils with a wide range of viscosities (1-1000 mPa.s). Viscoelastic effects are also probed by spraying solutions of polyethylene oxide (PEO) dissolved in water at different concentrations. Our results show that understanding the effects of liquid properties on the instabilities that control rotary atomization (primarily Rayleigh-Taylor instability during the ligament formation followed by Rayleigh-Plateau instability during droplet pinch-off) can help us understand the resulting fragment size distributions.

Investigation of surface evolution for stainless steel electrode under pulsed megagauss magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Wenkang; Dan, Jiakun; Wang, Guilin; Duan, Shuchao; Wei, Bing; Zhang, Hengdi; Huang, Xianbin; Zhang, Zhaohui; Guo, Fan; Gong, Boyi; Chen, Lin; Wang, Meng; Feng, Shuping; Xie, Weiping; Deng, Jianjun

2018-02-01

Surface evolution for a conductor electrode under pulsed megagauss (MG) magnetic field was investigated. Stainless steel rods with 3 mm diameter were driven by 8 MA, 130 ns (10%-90%) current pulse in a series of shots on the Primary Test Stand. Experimental data from two complementary diagnostic systems and simulation results from one-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamics code reveal a transition phase for instability development. The transition, which begins as the conductor surface starts to expand, lasts about 40 ns in the pulse. It ends after the thermal plasma is formed, and striation electrothermal instability growth stops but magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRTI) starts to develop. An expanding velocity which grows to about 2.0 km/s during the transition phase was directly measured for the first time. The threshold magnetic field for thermal plasma formation on the stainless steel surface was inferred to be 3.3 MG under a rising rate of about 66 MG/μs, and after that MRTI becomes predominant for amplitude growth in surface perturbation.

DYNAMICAL FRAGMENTATION OF THE T PYXIDIS NOVA SHELL DURING RECURRENT ERUPTIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toraskar, Jayashree; Mac Low, Mordecai-Mark; Shara, Michael M.

2013-05-01

Hubble Space Telescope images of the ejecta surrounding the nova T Pyxidis resolve the emission into more than 2000 bright knots. We simulate the dynamical evolution of the ejecta from T Pyxidis during its multiple eruptions over the last 150 years using the adaptive mesh refinement code Ramses. We demonstrate that the observed knots are the result of Richtmyer-Meshkov gas dynamical instabilities (the equivalent of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in an accelerated medium). These instabilities are caused by the overrunning of the ejecta from the classical nova of 1866 by fast-moving ejecta from the six subsequent recurrent nova outbursts. Magnetic fields maymore » play a role in determining knot scale and preventing their conductive evaporation. The model correctly predicts the observed expansion and dimming of the T Pyx ejecta as well as the knotty morphology. The model also predicts that deeper, high-resolution imagery will show filamentary structure connecting the knots. We show reprocessed Hubble Space Telescope imagery that shows the first hints of such a structure.« less

The day-to-day occurrence of equatorial plasma bubbles measured from Vanimo, Papua New Guinea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, B. A.; Yizengaw, E.; Francis, M.; Terkildsen, M. B.; Marshall, R. A.; Norman, R.; Zhang, K.

2013-12-01

An analysis of the occurrence of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs) detected using a ground-based Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver located at Vanimo in South-east Asia will be presented. The 3-year (2000-2002) dataset employed shows that the EPB occurrence maximizes (minimizes) during the equinoxes (solstices), in good agreement with previous findings. The low-latitude ionosonde station at Vanimo is used in conjunction with the GPS receiver in an analysis of the day-to-day EPB occurrence variability during the equinox period. A superposed epoch analysis of the ionosonde data reveals that the height, and the change in height, of the F layer is 1 standard deviation (1σ) larger on the days for which EPBs were detected, compared to non-EPB days. These results are interpreted using the generalized Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) plasma instability growth rate, for which stronger upward drift of the lower-altitude F-layer plasma promotes faster growth of EPBs after sunset. These results are then compared to the results of the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamic General Circulation Model (TIEGCM), which surprisingly show strong similarities to the observations, despite only using geomagnetic and solar activity inputs. The TIEGCM is also used to directly calculate the hourly flux-tube integrated R-T growth rate. A superposed epoch analysis reveals that the modeled R-T growth rate is a little less than 1σ higher on average for EPB days compared to non-EPB days. The implication of this result is that the TIEGCM generates almost enough day-to-day variability in order to account for the day-to-day EPB occurrence observed during the equinox. This result isn't necessarily expected due to the model's limited altitude coverage of 100-700 km (depending on solar activity) and the lack of ionospheric observation inputs. It is thought that the remaining variability could originate from either lower altitudes (e.g. atmospheric gravity waves from the troposphere) or from higher altitudes (resulting from coupling with the magnetosphere and solar wind), or potentially both. It is concluded that the continuing advancement of numerical modeling of the thermosphere and ionosphere, coupled with altitudes above and below, is required to better understand the day-to-day EPB occurrence.

An imprecise probability approach for squeal instability analysis based on evidence theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lü, Hui; Shangguan, Wen-Bin; Yu, Dejie

2017-01-01

An imprecise probability approach based on evidence theory is proposed for squeal instability analysis of uncertain disc brakes in this paper. First, the squeal instability of the finite element (FE) model of a disc brake is investigated and its dominant unstable eigenvalue is detected by running two typical numerical simulations, i.e., complex eigenvalue analysis (CEA) and transient dynamical analysis. Next, the uncertainty mainly caused by contact and friction is taken into account and some key parameters of the brake are described as uncertain parameters. All these uncertain parameters are usually involved with imprecise data such as incomplete information and conflict information. Finally, a squeal instability analysis model considering imprecise uncertainty is established by integrating evidence theory, Taylor expansion, subinterval analysis and surrogate model. In the proposed analysis model, the uncertain parameters with imprecise data are treated as evidence variables, and the belief measure and plausibility measure are employed to evaluate system squeal instability. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by numerical examples and some interesting observations and conclusions are summarized from the analyses and discussions. The proposed approach is generally limited to the squeal problems without too many investigated parameters. It can be considered as a potential method for squeal instability analysis, which will act as the first step to reduce squeal noise of uncertain brakes with imprecise information.

INTRODUCTION: Award of the 2004 Hannes Alfvén Prize of the European Physical Society to J W Connor, R J Hastie and J B Taylor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lister, Jo, Dr

2004-12-01

Jack Connor, Jim Hastie and Bryan Taylor The Hannes Alfvén Prize of the European Physical Society for Outstanding Contributions to Plasma Physics (2004) has been awarded to Jack Connor, Jim Hastie and Bryan Taylor `for their seminal contributions to a wide range of issues of fundamental importance to the success of magnetic confinement fusion, including: the development of gyro-kinetic theory; the prediction of the bootstrap current; dimensionless scaling laws; pressure-limiting instabilities, and micro-stability and transport theory'. Jack Connor, Jim Hastie and Bryan Taylor form one of the most successful teams of theoretical physicists in the history of magnetic confinement fusion. They have made important contributions individually, but their greatest discoveries have mostly been accomplished jointly, either in pairs or as a team involving all three. Their early work, in the 1960s, included the development of the gyro-kinetic theory for fine-scale plasma instabilities, which today forms the basis of the most advanced turbulence simulation codes in tokamak and stellarator research. The theoretical prediction of the bootstrap current, made in 1970-71 was not confirmed experimentally for over a decade but is now regarded as crucial to the success of the tokamak as a steady-state fusion power source. Their work on collisional transport also included the prediction of impurity ion accumulation, which is observed in internal transport barriers and is a key concern for long-pulse tokamak operation. The relativistic threshold for runaway electrons, identified in 1975, forms the basis of the most recent tokamak disruption mitigation schemes. In the late 1970s, the team developed the theory for ballooning instabilities, which provided an important ingredient in the `Troyon-Sykes' β-limit—an expression that is still used as a guide to the performance of tokamaks and in the design of ITER. Ballooning mode theory has also contributed to the understanding of instabilities in space plasmas such as magnetospheres and the solar corona. Finally, coming right up to date, the ballooning mode is thought to be a key ingredient in edge-localized modes (ELMs), which are a main issue for ITER, and ballooning stability is an important feature of modern stellarators. In the late 1970s and through the 1980s, the concept of dimensionless scaling laws was introduced and developed (following work by Kadomtsev), enabling scalings for transport coefficients to be derived without tackling all the details of the plasma turbulence. The same ideas are still used today to provide various constraints on confinement scaling laws, for example, on which the ITER design is largely based. The linear theory of toroidal drift waves was also developed by the team during this period, and into the 1990s. Key results on the role of shear damping in toroidal geometry, the identification of modes with extended radial correlation lengths, and the role of flow shear in reducing these correlation lengths (and hence transport) were deduced. All of these are key ideas that are often components in theoretical models for tokamak confinement and the generation of transport barriers. This laudation can only address a small number of the areas in which this formidable team of theoretical plasma physicists have made great contributions to our understanding of magnetically confined plasmas. It is appropriate and timely that their contributions are recognized as they approach the end of their careers.

Spectral analysis of the turbulent mixing of two fluids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinkamp, M.J.

1996-02-01

The authors describe a spectral approach to the investigation of fluid instability, generalized turbulence, and the interpenetration of fluids across an interface. The technique also applies to a single fluid with large variations in density. Departures of fluctuating velocity components from the local mean are far subsonic, but the mean Mach number can be large. Validity of the description is demonstrated by comparisons with experiments on turbulent mixing due to the late stages of Rayleigh-Taylor instability, when the dynamics become approximately self-similar in response to a constant body force. Generic forms for anisotropic spectral structure are described and used asmore » a basis for deriving spectrally integrated moment equations that can be incorporated into computer codes for scientific and engineering analyses.« less

Instability of long fingers in Hele--Shaw flows

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Park, C.W.; Homsy, G.M.

1985-06-01

Experiments on steady fingers and their stability in Hele--Shaw cells, are reported. It is shown that the shape of steady fingers scales with a modified capillary number, Ca', as suggested by McLean and Saffman (J. Fluid. Mech. 102, 455 (1981) and our previous analysis (J. Fluid Mech. 139, 291 (1984)). The behavior at large Ca' is investigated by using a wide Hele--Shaw cell. It is observed that such fingers are unstable for Ca'>100, in agreement with the prediction by Taylor and Saffman (second symposium on naval hydrodynamics, 1958, p. 277) of instability as Ca'..-->..infinity. The mechanism is identified as onemore » of tip-splitting, which occurs periodically in the weakly supercritical regime, and in a more complex fashion for large Ca'.« less

Investigations of the Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riccardo Bonazza; Mark Anderson; Jason Oakley

2008-03-14

The present program is centered on the experimental study of shock-induced interfacial fluid instabilities. Both 2-D (near-sinusoids) and 3-D (spheres) initial conditions are studied in a large, vertical square shock tube facility. The evolution of the interface shape, its distortion, the modal growth rates and the mixing of the fluids at the interface are all objectives of the investigation. In parallel to the experiments, calculations are performed using the Raptor code, on platforms made available by LLNL. These flows are of great relevance to both ICF and stockpile stewardship. The involvement of four graduate students is in line with themore » national laboratories' interest in the education of scientists and engineers in disciplines and technologies consistent with the labs' missions and activities.« less

Exploring Model Assumptions Through Three Dimensional Mixing Simulations Using a High-order Hydro Option in the Ares Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Justin; Olson, Britton; Morgan, Brandon; McFarland, Jacob; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Team; University of Missouri-Columbia Team

2015-11-01

This work presents results from a large eddy simulation of a high Reynolds number Rayleigh-Taylor instability and Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. A tenth-order compact differencing scheme on a fixed Eulerian mesh is utilized within the Ares code developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (LLNL) We explore the self-similar limit of the mixing layer growth in order to evaluate the k-L-a Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) model (Morgan and Wickett, Phys. Rev. E, 2015). Furthermore, profiles of turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent length scale, mass flux velocity, and density-specific-volume correlation are extracted in order to aid the creation a high fidelity LES data set for RANS modeling. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Using Growth and Arrest of Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities and Lagrangian Simulations to Study High-Rate Material Strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prime, Michael; Vaughan, Diane; Preston, Dean; Oro, David; Buttler, William

2013-06-01

Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities have been widely used to study the deviatoric (flow) strength of solids at high strain rates. More recently, experiments applying a supported shock through mating surfaces (Atwood number = 1) with geometrical perturbations have been proposed for studying strength at strain rates up to 107/sec using Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instabilities. Buttler et al. [J. Fluid Mech., 2012] recently reported experimental results for RM instability growth but with an unsupported shock applied by high explosives and the geometrical perturbations on the opposite free surface (Atwood number = -1). This novel configuration allowed detailed experimental observation of the instability growth and arrest. We present results and detailed interpretation from numerical simulations of the Buttler experiments on copper. Highly-resolved, two-dimensional simulations were performed using a Lagrangian hydrocode and the Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW) strength model. The model predictions show good agreement with the data in spite of the PTW model being calibrated on lower strain rate data. The numerical simulations are used to 1) examine various assumptions previously made in an analytical model, 2) to estimate the sensitivity of such experiments to material strength and 3) to explore the possibility of extracting meaningful strength information in the face of complicated spatial and temporal variations of stress, pressure, and temperature during the experiments.

Evolution of sausage and helical modes in magnetized thin-foil cylindrical liners driven by a Z-pinch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yager-Elorriaga, D. A.; Lau, Y. Y.; Zhang, P.; Campbell, P. C.; Steiner, A. M.; Jordan, N. M.; McBride, R. D.; Gilgenbach, R. M.

2018-05-01

In this paper, we present experimental results on axially magnetized (Bz = 0.5 - 2.0 T), thin-foil (400 nm-thick) cylindrical liner-plasmas driven with ˜600 kA by the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-Pinch Experiments, which is a linear transformer driver at the University of Michigan. We show that: (1) the applied axial magnetic field, irrespective of its direction (e.g., parallel or anti-parallel to the flow of current), reduces the instability amplitude for pure magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes [defined as modes devoid of the acceleration-driven magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability]; (2) axially magnetized, imploding liners (where MHD modes couple to MRT) generate m = 1 or m = 2 helical modes that persist from the implosion to the subsequent explosion stage; (3) the merging of instability structures is a mechanism that enables the appearance of an exponential instability growth rate for a longer than expected time-period; and (4) an inverse cascade in both the axial and azimuthal wavenumbers, k and m, may be responsible for the final m = 2 helical structure observed in our experiments. These experiments are particularly relevant to the magnetized liner inertial fusion program pursued at Sandia National Laboratories, where helical instabilities have been observed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, W. H.; HEDPS and CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871; Wang, L. F.

In this research, the temporal evolution of the bubble tip velocity in Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) at arbitrary Atwood numbers and different initial perturbation velocities with a discontinuous profile in irrotational, incompressible, and inviscid fluids (i.e., classical RTI) is investigated. Potential models from Layzer [Astrophys. J. 122, 1 (1955)] and perturbation velocity potentials from Goncharov [Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 134502 (2002)] are introduced. It is found that the temporal evolution of bubble tip velocity [u(t)] depends essentially on the initial perturbation velocity [u(0)]. First, when the u(0)

Laser-driven planar Rayleigh-Taylor instability experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Glendinning, S.G.; Weber, S.V.; Bell, P.

1992-08-24

We have performed a series of experiments on the Nova Laser Facility to examine the hydrodynamic behavior of directly driven planar foils with initial perturbations of varying wavelength. The foils were accelerated with a single, frequency doubled, smoothed and temporally shaped laser beam at 0.8{times}10{sup 14} W/cm{sup 2}. The experiments are in good agreement with numerical simulations using the computer codes LASNEX and ORCHID which show growth rates reduced to about 70% of classical for this nonlinear regime.

Computing interface motion in compressible gas dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulder, W.; Osher, S.; Sethan, James A.

1992-01-01

An analysis is conducted of the coupling of Osher and Sethian's (1988) 'Hamilton-Jacobi' level set formulation of the equations of motion for propagating interfaces to a system of conservation laws for compressible gas dynamics, giving attention to both the conservative and nonconservative differencing of the level set function. The capabilities of the method are illustrated in view of the results of numerical convergence studies of the compressible Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities for air-air and air-helium boundaries.

Independent and collective roles of surface structures at different length scales on pool boiling heat transfer

PubMed Central

Li, Calvin H.; Rioux, Russell P.

2016-01-01

Spherical Cu nanocavity surfaces are synthesized to examine the individual role of contact angles in connecting lateral Rayleigh-Taylor wavelength to vertical Kevin-Helmholtz wavelength on hydrodynamic instability for the onset of pool boiling Critical Heat Flux (CHF). Solid and porous Cu pillar surfaces are sintered to investigate the individual role of pillar structure pitch at millimeter scale, named as module wavelength, on hydrodynamic instability at CHF. Last, spherical Cu nanocavities are coated on the porous Cu pillars to create a multiscale Cu structure, which is studied to examine the collective role and relative significance of contact angles and module wavelength on hydrodynamic instability at CHF, and the results indicate that module wavelength plays the dominant role on hydrodynamic instability at CHF when the height of surface structures is equal or above ¼ Kelvin-Helmholtz wavelength. Pool boiling Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) enhancements on spherical Cu nanocavity surfaces, solid and porous Cu pillar surfaces, and the integrated multiscale structure have been investigated, too. The experimental results reveal that the nanostructures and porous pillar structures can be combined together to achieve even higher enhancement of HTC than that of individual structures. PMID:27841322

Computational investigation of reshock strength in hydrodynamic instability growth at the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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 been briefly described, several of which are novel.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, L. F.; He, X. T.; HEDPS, Center for Applied Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871

2013-04-15

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 WNmore » 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.« less

Stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in quantum magnetized plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

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

2012-07-15

In this research, stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) due to density gradients, magnetic fields, and quantum effects, in an ideal incompressible plasma, is studied analytically and numerically. A second-order ordinary differential equation (ODE) for the RTI including quantum corrections, with a continuous density profile, in a uniform external magnetic field, is obtained. Analytic expressions of the linear growth rate of the RTI, considering modifications of density gradients, magnetic fields, and quantum effects, are presented. Numerical approaches are performed to solve the second-order ODE. The analytical model proposed here agrees with the numerical calculation. It is found that the densitymore » gradients, the magnetic fields, and the quantum effects, respectively, have a stabilizing effect on the RTI (reduce the linear growth of the RTI). The RTI can be completely quenched by the magnetic field stabilization and/or the quantum effect stabilization in proper circumstances leading to a cutoff wavelength. The quantum effect stabilization plays a central role in systems with large Atwood number and small normalized density gradient scale length. The presence of external transverse magnetic fields beside the quantum effects will bring about more stability on the RTI. The stabilization of the linear growth of the RTI, for parameters closely related to inertial confinement fusion and white dwarfs, is discussed. Results could potentially be valuable for the RTI treatment to analyze the mixing in supernovas and other RTI-driven objects.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Symmetric aluminum-wire arrays generate high-quality Z pinches at large array radii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Design of an electromagnetic accelerator for turbulent hydrodynamic mix studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susoeff, A. R.; Hawke, R. S.; Morrison, J. J.; Dimonte, G.; Remington, B. A.

1993-12-01

An electromagnetic accelerator in the form of a linear electric motor (LEM) has been designed to achieve controlled acceleration profiles of a carriage containing hydrodynamically unstable fluids for the investigation of the development of turbulent mix. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated by accelerating two dissimilar density fluids using the LEM to achieve a wide variety of acceleration and deceleration profiles. The acceleration profiles are achieved by independent control of rail and augmentation currents. A variety of acceleration-time profiles are possible including: (1) constant, (2) impulsive and (3) shaped. The LEM and support structure are a robust design in order to withstand high loads with deflections and to mitigate operational vibration. Vibration of the carriage during acceleration could create artifacts in the data which would interfere with the intended study of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The design allows clear access for diagnostic techniques such as laser induced fluorescence radiography, shadowgraphs and particle imaging velocimetry. Electromagnetic modeling codes were used to optimize the rail and augmentation coil positions within the support structure framework. Results of contemporary studies for non-arcing sliding contact of solid armatures are used for the design of the driving armature and the dynamic electromagnetic braking system. A 0.6MJ electrolytic capacitor bank is used for energy storage to drive the LEM. This report will discuss a LEM design which will accelerate masses of up to 3kg to a maximum of about 3000g(sub o), where g(sub o) is accelerated due to gravity.

Solar Prominence Fine Structure and Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Thomas

2014-01-01

We review recent observational and theoretical results on the fine structure and dynamics of solar prominences, beginning with an overview of prominence classifications, the proposal of possible new ``funnel prominence'' classification, and a discussion of the recent ``solar tornado'' findings. We then focus on quiescent prominences to review formation, down-flow dynamics, and the ``prominence bubble'' phenomena. We show new observations of the prominence bubble Rayleigh-Taylor instability triggered by a Kelvin-Helmholtz shear flow instability occurring along the bubble boundary. Finally we review recent studies on plasma composition of bubbles, emphasizing that differential emission measure (DEM) analysis offers a more quantitative analysis than photometric comparisons. In conclusion, we discuss the relation of prominences to coronal magnetic flux ropes, proposing that prominences can be understood as partially ionized condensations of plasma forming the return flow of a general magneto-thermal convection in the corona.

Shock-driven Rayleigh-Taylor / Richtmyer-Meshkov 2D multimode ripple evolution before and after re-shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagel, Sabrina; Huntington, Channing; Bender, Jason; Raman, Kumar; Baumann, Ted; MacLaren, Stephan; Prisbrey, Shon; Zhou, Ye

2017-10-01

Laser-driven hydrodynamic experiments allow for the precise control over several important experimental parameters, including the timing of the laser irradiation delivered and the initial conditions of the laser-driven target. Our experimental platform at the National Ignition Facility enables the investigation of the physics of instability growth after the passage of a second shock (``reshock''). This is done by varying the laser to change the strength and timing of the secondary shock. Here we present x-ray images capturing the rapid post-reshock instability growth for a set of reshock strengths. The radiation hydrodynamics simulations used to design these experiments are also introduced. This work was performed under the auspices of the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, (LLNS) under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-734509.

Experiments to assess preheat in blast-wave-drive instability experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krauland, Christine; Drake, Paul; Kuranz, Carolyn; Grosskopf, Michael; Boehly, Tom

2009-11-01

The use of multi-kilojoule, ns lasers to launch shock waves has become a standard method for initiating hydrodynamic experiments in Laboratory Astrophysics. However, the intense laser ablation that creates moving plasma also leads to the production of unwanted energetic x-rays and suprathermal electrons, both of which can be sources of material preheating. In principle, this preheat can alter the conditions of the experimental setup prior to the occurrence of the intended dynamics. At the University of Michigan, ongoing Rayleigh-Taylor instability experiments are defined by precise initial conditions, and potential deformation due to preheat could greatly affect their accuracy. An experiment devised and executed in an attempt to assess the preheat in this specific case will be presented, along with the quantitative analysis of the data obtained and comparison with 2D simulations.

Sedimentation from flocculated suspensions in the presence of settling-driven gravitational interface instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Viscous hydrodynamic instability theory of the peak and minimum pool boiling heat fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhir, V. K.

1972-01-01

Liquid viscosity was included in the Bellman-Pennington theory of the Taylor wave in a liquid vapor interface. Predictions of the most susceptible wavelength, and of the wave frequency, were made as a function of a liquid viscosity parameter and the Bond number. The stability of a gas jet in a viscous liquid was studied and the result is used to predict the peak heat flux on large horizontal heaters. Experimental measurements of the dominant Taylor wave and its growth rate were made during the film boiling of cyclohexanol on cylindrical heaters. The results bear out the predictions quite well. The thickness of the vapor blanket surrounding a cylindrical heater was measured and a correlation suggested. The effect of large fluxes of vapor volume on the dominant wavelength was also noted. Theoretical results of the peak heat flux are compared with the experimental data, and the effect of finite geometry of flat plate heaters on the peak heat flux is also discussed.

3D broadband Bubbles Dynamics for the imprinted ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casner, Alexis; Khan, S.; Mailliet, C.; Martinez, D.; Izumi, N.; Le Bel, E.; Remington, B. A.; Masse, L.; Smalyuk, V. A.

2017-10-01

We report on highly nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor growth measurements of 3D laser imprinted modulations. These experiments are part of the Discovery Science Program on NIF. Planar plastic samples were irradiated by 450 kJ of 3w laser light and the growth of 3D laser imprinted modulations is quantified through face-on radiography. The initial seed of the imprinted RTI is imposed by one beam focused in advance (-300 ps) without any optical smoothing (no CPP, no SSD). For the first time four generations of bubbles were created as larger bubbles overtake and merge with smaller bubbles because of the unprecedented long laser drive (30 ns). The experimental data, analyzed both in real and Fourier space, are compared with classical bubble-merger models, as well as recent theory and simulations predicting 3D bubbles reacceleration due to vorticity accumulation caused by mass ablation. These experiments are of crucial importance for benchmarking 2D and 3D radiation hydrodynamics code for Inertial Confinement Fusion.

Numerical Solutions of the Mean-Value Theorem: New Methods for Downward Continuation of Potential Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chong; Lü, Qingtian; Yan, Jiayong; Qi, Guang

2018-04-01

Downward continuation can enhance small-scale sources and improve resolution. Nevertheless, the common methods have disadvantages in obtaining optimal results because of divergence and instability. We derive the mean-value theorem for potential fields, which could be the theoretical basis of some data processing and interpretation. Based on numerical solutions of the mean-value theorem, we present the convergent and stable downward continuation methods by using the first-order vertical derivatives and their upward continuation. By applying one of our methods to both the synthetic and real cases, we show that our method is stable, convergent and accurate. Meanwhile, compared with the fast Fourier transform Taylor series method and the integrated second vertical derivative Taylor series method, our process has very little boundary effect and is still stable in noise. We find that the characters of the fading anomalies emerge properly in our downward continuation with respect to the original fields at the lower heights.

Instability Coupling Experiments*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrien, R. E.; Hoffman, N. M.; Magelssen, G. R.; Schappert, G. T.; Smitherman, D. P.

1996-11-01

The coupling of Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) and ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (ART) instabilities is being studied with indirectly-driven planar foil experiments on the Nova laser at Livermore. The foil is attached to a 1.6-mm-diameter, 2.75-mm-long Au hohlraum driven by a 2.2-ns long, 1:5-contrast-ratio shaped laser pulse. A shock is generated in 35-μm or 86-μm thick Al foils with a 50-μm-wavelength, 4-μm-amplitude sinusoidal perturbation on its rear surface. In some experiments, the perturbation is applied to a 10-μm Be layer on the Al. A RM instability develops when the shock encounters the perturbed surface. The flow field of the RM instability can ``feed out'' to the ablation surface of the foil and provide the seed for ART perturbation growth. Face-on and side-on x-radiography are used to observe areal density perturbations in the foil. For the 86-μm foil, the perturbation arrives at the ablation surface while the hohlraum drive is dropping and the data are consistent with RM instability alone. For the 35-μm foil, the perturbation feeds out while the hohlraum drive is close to its peak and the data appear to show strong ART perturbation growth. Comparisons with LASNEX simulations will be presented. *This work supported under USDOE contract W-7405-ENG-36.

Applications of Analytical Self-Similar Solutions of Reynolds-Averaged Models for Instability-Induced Turbulent Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Theoretical and computational studies of the sheath of a planar wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giraudo, Martina; Camporeale, Enrico; Delzanno, Gian Luca; Lapenta, Giovanni

2012-03-01

We present an investigation of the stability and nonlinear evolution of the sheath of a planar wall. We focus on the electrostatic limit. The stability analysis is conducted with a fluid model where continuity and momentum equations for the electrons and ions are coupled through Poisson's equation. The effect of electron emission from the wall is studied parametrically. Our results show that a sheath instability associated with the emitted electrons can exist. Following Ref. [1], it is interpreted as a Rayleigh-Taylor instability driven by the favorable combination of the sheath electron density gradient and electric field. Fully kinetic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulations will also be presented to investigate whether this instability indeed exists and to study the nonlinear effect of electron emission on the sheath profiles. The simulations will be conducted with CPIC, a new electrostatic PIC code that couples the standard PIC algorithm with strategies for generation and adaptation of the computational grid. [4pt] [1] G.L. Delzanno, ``A paradigm for the stability of the plasma sheath against fluid perturbations,'' Phys. Plasmas 18, 103508 (2011).

Nonlinear Saturation Amplitude in Classical Planar Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wan-Hai; Wang, Xiang; Jiang, Hong-Bin; Ma, Wen-Fang

2016-04-01

The classical planar Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) at a fluid interface supported by a constant pressure is investigated by a formal perturbation expansion up to the third order, and then according to definition of nonlinear saturation amplitude (NSA) in Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI), the NSA in planar RMI is obtained explicitly. It is found that the NSA in planar RMI is affected by the initial perturbation wavelength and the initial amplitude of the interface, while the effect of the initial amplitude of the interface on the NSA is less than that of the initial perturbation wavelength. Without marginal influence of the initial amplitude, the NSA increases linearly with wavelength. The NSA normalized by the wavelength in planar RMI is about 0.11, larger than that corresponding to RTI. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 11472278 and 11372330, the Scientific Research Foundation of Education Department of Sichuan Province under Grant No. 15ZA0296, the Scientific Research Foundation of Mianyang Normal University under Grant Nos. QD2014A009 and 2014A02, and the National High-Tech ICF Committee

Investigation of MHD Instabilities in Jets and Bubbles Using a Compact Coaxial Plasma Gun in a Background Magnetized Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Fisher, D. M.; Wallace, B.; Gilmore, M.; Hsu, S. C.

2016-10-01

A compact coaxial plasma gun is employed for experimental investigation of launching plasma into a lower density background magnetized plasma. Experiments are being conducted in the linear device HelCat at UNM. Four distinct operational regimes with qualitatively different dynamics are identified by fast CCD camera images. For regime I plasma jet formation, a global helical magnetic configuration is determined by a B-dot probe array data. Also the m =1 kink instability is observed and verified. Furthermore, when the jet is propagating into background magnetic field, a longer length and lifetime jet is formed. Axial shear flow caused by the background magnetic tension force contributes to the increased stability of the jet body. In regime II, a spheromak-like plasma bubble formation is identified when the gun plasma is injected into vacuum. In contrast, when the bubble propagates into a background magnetic field, the closed magnetic field configuration does not hold anymore and a lateral side, Reilgh-Taylor instability develops. Detailed experimental data and analysis will be presented for these cases.

Stability of film boiling on inclined plates and spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aursand, Eskil; Hammer, Morten; Munkejord, Svend Tollak; Müller, Bernhard; Ytrehus, Tor

2017-11-01

In film boiling, a continuous sub-millimeter vapor film forms between a liquid and a heated surface, insulating the two from each other. While quite accurate steady state solutions are readily obtained, the intermediate Reynolds numbers can make transient analysis challenging. The present work is a theoretical study of film boiling instabilities. We study the formation of travelling waves that are a combination of Kelvin-Helmholtz and the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. In particular, we study how the nature of this process depends on the Reynolds number, the Bond number, and the inclination of the submerged heated plate. In addition we extend the analysis to the case of a submerged heated sphere. Modelling of the transient dynamics of such films is important for answering practical questions such as how instabilities affect the overall heat transfer, and whether they can lead to complete film boiling collapse (Leidenfrost point). This work has been financed under the MAROFF program. We acknowledge the Research Council of Norway (244076/O80) and The Gas Technology Centre NTNU-SINTEF (GTS) for support.

Observations of ETI under dielectric-overcoated aluminum pulsed to hundreds of Tesla

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson, Trevor; Bauer, Bruno; Fuelling, Stephan; Yates, Kevin; Awe, Thomas; Yelton, Graham

2016-10-01

MagLIF is an inertial confinement concept that takes advantage of relaxed fusion criteria due to premagnetized and preheated fuel. The drive surface is particularly susceptible to highly azimuthally correlated magneto-Rayleigh Taylor (MRT) instabilities, which section the liner wall and compromise confinement. This degree of azimuthal correlation is not due to residual lathe machining or surface roughness and a growing body of evidence suggest electrothermal instabilities (ETI) seed the MRT instability and allow for levels of azimuthal correlation that have been observed experimentally. Implementation of dielectric coatings on Sandia's Z accelerator has reduced MRT amplitudes by at least a factor of ten, which simulations suggest is due to mass tamping of the ETI. However, neither ETI nor its theorized suppression via an applied dielectric overcoat has been experimentally observed on a thick wire. We will report on experimental observations of ETI on the surface of 500 um radius aluminum rods with a 70 um parylene-N overcoat pulsed with 1 MA in 100 ns. This work was funded in part by Sandia's Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (Project No. 178661).

Salinity effects during immiscible displacement in porous media: electrokinetic stabilization of viscous fingering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzadeh, Mohammad; Bazant, Martin

2017-11-01

Interfacial instabilities are ubiquitous in Fluid Mechanics and have been one of the main the subjects of pattern formation. However, these instabilities could lead to inefficiencies which are undesired in many applications. For instance, viscous fingering results in residual trapping of oil during secondary recovery when a low-viscosity fluid, e.g. water, is used for injection. In their seminal work, Saffman and Taylor showed that the onset of this instability is controlled by the viscosity ratio of the two fluids. However, other physiochemical processes could enhance or suppress viscous fingering. Here we consider the role of salinity effects on the front stability. Our recent theory suggests that viscous fingering could be controlled, and even suppressed, by appropriately injecting electric currents. However, even in the absence of any external currents, strong electrokinetic coupling (present in small pores when the electric double layers overlap) can reduce viscous fingering by increasing the ``effective viscosity'' of the injected fluid. These findings suggest that it might be possible to improve extraction efficiencies by appropriately controlling the salt concentration of the injected fluid.

Effect of gravity on the stability and structure of lean hydrogen-air flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patnaik, G.; Kailasanath, K.

1991-01-01

Detailed, time-dependent, 2D numerical simulations with full hydrogen-oxygen chemistry are used to investigate the effects of gravity on the stability and structure of laminar flames in lean, premixed hydrogen-air mixtures. The calculations show that the effects of gravity becomes more important as the lean flammability limit is approached. In a 12 percent hydrogen-air mixture, gravity plays only a secondary role in determining the multidimensional structure of the flame with the stability and structure of the flame controlled primarily by the thermo-diffusive instability mechanism. However, in leaner hydrogen-air mixtures gravity becomes more important. Upward-propagating flames are highly curved and evolve into a bubble rising upwards in the tube. Downward-propagating flames are flat or even oscillate between structures with concave and convex curvatures. The zero-gravity flame shows only cellular structures. Cellular structures which are present in zero gravity can be suppressed by the effect of buoyancy for mixtures leaner than 11 percent hydrogen. These observations are explained on the basis of an interaction between the processes leading to buoyancy-induced Rayleigh-Taylor instability and the thermo-diffusive instability.

Development of the electrothermal instability from resistive inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Edmund; Awe, T. J.; Bauer, B. S.; Yates, K. C.; Yelton, W. G.; Hutchinson, T. M.; Fuelling, S.; McKenzie, B. B.; Peterson, K. J.

2016-10-01

The magneto Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability limits the performance of all magnetically imploded systems. In the case of compressing metal liners, as in the magnetized liner inertial fusion concept, a dominant seed for MRT is believed to be the electrothermal instability (ETI). Here, linear theory predicts the most unstable mode manifests as horizontal (i.e. perpendicular to current flow) bands of heated and expanded metal. However, how do such bands, known as striations, actually develop from a smooth metal surface? Recent experiments on ETI evolution, performed at the University of Nevada, Reno, provide a possible answer: pre-shot characterization of aluminum rods show numerous resistive inclusions, several microns in diameter and distributed throughout the rod. In this work, we use 3D MHD simulation and analytic theory to explore how current redistribution around these isolated inclusions, combined with ETI, can lead to rapid formation of the global striation structures. Later in time, striations expand and form density perturbations much larger than the initial inclusion size. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the National Nuclear Security Administration under DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Advances in understanding of soil biogeochemical cycles: the mechanism of HS entry into the root interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleksandrova, Olga

2017-04-01

Humic substances represent the major reservoir of carbon (C) in ecosystems, and their turnover is crucial for understanding the global C cycle. As shown by some investigators [1-2], the phenomenon of the uptake of the whole humic particles by plant roots is a significant step of biogeochemical cycle of carbon in soils. The mechanism of HS entry the root interior remained unknown for a long time. However recently, the last one was discovered [3]. An advanced model [3] includes two hypotheses. These hypotheses are as follows: (1) each nano-size particle possesses a quantum image that can be revealed as a packet of electromagnetic waves; (2) the interaction of nano-size particle with the membrane (plasma membrane) of living cells, on which it is adsorbed, occurs via the development of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability on the membrane surface. An advanced model allows us to look insight some into some phenomena that were observed by experiments but remained not understood [2]. The authors [2] applied tritium autoradiography to wheat seedlings cultivated with tritium-labeled HS to consider the uptake of humic particles by plant roots. They found a significant increase in the content of some polar (monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC)) and neutral (free fatty acids, FFA) lipids which were detected in the wheat seedlings treated with humic particles. Authors [2] pointed that lipids MGDG, DGDG, SQDG are crucial for functional and structural integrity of the photosystem complex. Therefore, a stimulating action of adsorbed humic particles evoked phenomena like photosynthesis in root cells that can be interpreted using an advanced model: humic particles being nano-size particles become adsorbed on the plant roots in soils, and influence their micro environment, where they are located, with the specific electromagnetic exposure. Another finding of authors consisted in the uneven partitioning of penetrated humic particles in the root interior as well as a dependence of the amount of penetrated particles on their size. The results showed that the cortex region was colored with the lower intensity of humic particles labeled with tritium, whereas both epiblema and endodermis were darkly colored [2]. An advanced model highlights the uneven partition of penetrated humic particles as a result of the development of RT instability. It seems that instability involves the whole cortex region that results in the delivery of humic particles from epiblema directly to endodermis. A decrease in the amount of penetrated humic particles in dependence on their weight is explained as a gradual loss of the specific quantum property by humic particles with an increase in their size that can be calculated using an approach of quantum biology. References: 1. Smirnov A.I., Yaiumchenko O.E., Golovina H.A., Bekova S.Kh., Lebedev Y.S., EPR Imaging with Natural Spin Probes/ Journal of magnetic resonance, 1991, 91, 386 - 391. 2. Kulikova et al. 2016. Scientific reports | 6:28869| DOI: 10.1038/srep28869 3. Alexanderova O.N. 2016. An advanced model of the viral entry the cell of living organism and its prospect for the future biotechnology in healthcare and pharmaceutics. Conference SGEM, Vienna, November 2016.

Photon bubbles and ion acceleration in a plasma dominated by the radiation pressure of an electromagnetic pulse.

PubMed

Pegoraro, F; Bulanov, S V

2007-08-10

The stability of a thin plasma foil accelerated by the radiation pressure of a high intensity electromagnetic (e.m.) pulse is investigated analytically and with particle in cell numerical simulations. It is shown that the onset of a Rayleigh-Taylor-like instability can lead to transverse bunching of the foil and to broadening of the energy spectrum of fast ions. The use of a properly tailored e.m. pulse with a sharp intensity rise can stabilize the foil acceleration.

Quasiperiodic waves at the onset of zero-Prandtl-number convection with rotation.

PubMed

Kumar, Krishna; Chaudhuri, Sanjay; Das, Alaka

2002-02-01

We show the possibility of temporally quasiperiodic waves at the onset of thermal convection in a thin horizontal layer of slowly rotating zero-Prandtl-number Boussinesq fluid confined between stress-free conducting boundaries. Two independent frequencies emerge due to an interaction between straight rolls and waves along these rolls in the presence of Coriolis force, if the Taylor number is raised above a critical value. Constructing a dynamical system for the hydrodynamical problem, the competition between the interacting instabilities is analyzed. The forward bifurcation from the conductive state is self-tuned.

Low-dimensional chaos in turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vastano, John A.

1989-01-01

Direct numerical simulations are being performed on two different fluid flows in an attempt to discover the mechanism underlying the transition to turbulence in each. The first system is Taylor-Couette flow; the second, two-dimensional flow over an airfoil. Both flows exhibit a gradual transition to high-dimensional turbulence through low-dimensional chaos. The hope is that the instabilities leading to chaos will be easier to relate to physical processes in this case, and that the understanding of these mechanisms can then be applied to a wider array of turbulent systems.

Temporal properties of secondary drop breakup in the bag-stamen breakup regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hui; Liu, Hai-Feng; Xu, Jian-Liang; Li, Wei-Feng; Lin, Kuang-Fei

2013-05-01

The situation of liquid drop bag-stamen breakup in a continuous air jet flow is investigated by a high speed camera. Test liquids include water, ethanol, and various glycerol mixtures. First, the morphology of bag-stamen breakup is observed and analyzed. The bag-stamen breakup range is found to be in good agreement with the model obtained by Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Then the disk and stamen deformation properties, the fragment average size, and size distribution of ring and stamen are researched in detail, respectively.

Development of the striation and filament form of the electrothermal instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Voyager 1 Near the heliopause

DOE PAGES

Borovikov, S. N.; Pogorelov, N. V.

2014-02-18

Recent observations from the Voyager 1 spacecraft show that it is sampling the local interstellar medium (LISM). This is quite surprising because no realistic, steady-state model of the solar wind (SW) interaction with the LISM gives an inner heliosheath width as narrow as ~30 AU. This includes models that assume a strong redistribution of the ion energy to the tails in the pickup ion distribution function. We show that the heliopause (HP), which separates the SW from the LISM, is not a smooth tangential discontinuity, but rather a surface subject to Rayleigh-Taylor-type instabilities which can result in LISM material penetrationmore » deep inside the SW. We also show that the HP flanks are always subject to a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The instabilities are considerably suppressed near the HP nose by the heliospheric magnetic field in steady-state models, but reveal themselves in the presence of solar cycle effects. Here we argue that Voyager 1 may be in one such instability region and is therefore observing plasma densities much higher than those in the pristine SW. Lastly, these results may explain the early penetration of Voyager 1 into the LISM. They also show that there is a possibility that the spacecraft may start sampling the SW again before it finally leaves the heliosphere.« less

Preconditioned wire array Z-pinches driven by a double pulse current generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jian; Lu, Yihan; Sun, Fengju; Li, Xingwen; Jiang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Zhiguo; Zhang, Daoyuan; Qiu, Aici; Lebedev, Sergey

2018-07-01

Suppression of the core-corona structure and wire ablation in wire array Z-pinches is investigated using a novel double pulse current generator ‘Qin-1’ facility. The ‘Qin-1’ facility allows coupling a ∼10 kA 20 ns prepulse generator with a ∼0.8 MA 160 ns main current generator. The tailored prepulse current preheats wires to a gaseous state and the time interval between the prepulse and the main current pulse allows formation of a more uniform mass distribution for the implosion. The implosion of a gasified two aluminum-wire array showed no ablation phase and allowed all array mass to participate in the implosion. The initial perturbations formed from the inhomogeneous ablation were suppressed, however, the magneto Rayleigh–Taylor (MRT) instability during the implosion was still significant and further researches on the generation and development of the MRT instabilities of this gasified wire array are needed.

Models of non-Newtonian Hele-Shaw flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

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

1996-11-01

We study the Saffman-Taylor instability of a non-Newtonian fluid in a Hele-Shaw cell. Using a fluid model with shear-rate dependent viscosity, we derive a Darcy{close_quote}s law whose viscosity depends upon the squared pressure gradient. This yields a natural, nonlinear boundary value problem for the pressure. A model proposed recently by Bonn {ital et} {ital al}. [Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 75}, 2132 (1995)] follows from this modified law. For a shear-thinning liquid, our derivation shows strong constraints upon the fluid viscosity{emdash} strong shear-thinning does not allow the construction of a unique Darcy{close_quote}s law, and is related to the appearance of slipmore » layers in the flow. For a weakly shear-thinning liquid, we calculate corrections to the Newtonian instability of an expanding bubble in a radial cell. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}« less

Stabilized Liner Compressor: The Return of Linus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turchi, Peter; Frese, Sherry; Frese, Michael; Mielke, Charles; Hinrichs, Mark; Nguyen, Doan

2015-11-01

To access the lower cost regime of magneto-inertial fusion at megagauss magnetic field-levels requires the use of dynamic conductors in the form of imploding cylindrical shells, aka, liners. Such liner implosions can compress magnetic flux and plasma to attain fusion conditions, but are subject to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, both in the launch and recovery of the liner material and in the final few diameters of implosion. These instabilities were overcome in the Linus program at the Naval Research Laboratory, c. 1979, providing the experimentally-demonstrated basis for repetitive operation and leading to an economical reactor concept at low fusion gain. The recent ARPA-E program for low-cost fusion technology has revived interest in this approach. We shall discuss progress in modeling and design of a Stabilized Liner Compressor (SLC) that extends the earlier work to higher pressures and liner speeds appropriate to potential plasma targets. Sponsored by ARPA-E ALPHA Program.

Wavelength selection in the crown splash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Numerical analysis of two-fluid tearing mode instability in a finite aspect ratio cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Atsushi; Ramos, Jesús J.

2018-01-01

The two-fluid resistive tearing mode instability in a periodic plasma cylinder of finite aspect ratio is investigated numerically for parameters such that the cylindrical aspect ratio and two-fluid effects are of order unity, hence the real and imaginary parts of the mode eigenfunctions and growth rate are comparable. Considering a force-free equilibrium, numerical solutions of the complete eigenmode equations for general aspect ratios and ion skin depths are compared and found to be in very good agreement with the corresponding analytic solutions derived by means of the boundary layer theory [A. Ito and J. J. Ramos, Phys. Plasmas 24, 072102 (2017)]. Scaling laws for the growth rate and the real frequency of the mode are derived from the analytic dispersion relation by using Taylor expansions and Padé approximations. The cylindrical finite aspect ratio effect is inferred from the scaling law for the real frequency of the mode.

Use of an electric field in an electrostatic liquid film radiator.

PubMed

Bankoff, S G; Griffing, E M; Schluter, R A

2002-10-01

Experimental and numerical work was performed to further the understanding of an electrostatic liquid film radiator (ELFR) that was originally proposed by Kim et al.(1) The ELFR design utilizes an electric field that exerts a normal force on the interface of a flowing film. The field lowers the pressure under the film in a space radiator and, thereby, prevents leakage through a puncture in the radiator wall. The flowing film is subject to the Taylor cone instability, whereby a cone of fluid forms underneath an electrode and sharpens until a jet of fluid is pulled toward the electrode and disintegrates into droplets. The critical potential for the instability is shown to be as much as an order of magnitude higher than that used in previous designs.(2) Furthermore, leak stoppage experiments indicate that the critical field is adequate to stop leaks in a working radiator.

Solar activity variations of equatorial spread F occurrence and sustenance during different seasons over Indian longitudes: Empirical model and causative mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhav Haridas, M. K.; Manju, G.; Arunamani, T.

2018-05-01

A comprehensive analysis using nearly two decades of ionosonde data is carried out on the seasonal and solar cycle variations of Equatorial Spread F (ESF) irregularities over magnetic equatorial location Trivandrum (8.5°N, 77°E). The corresponding Rayleigh Taylor (RT) instability growth rates (γ) are also estimated. A seasonal pattern of ESF occurrence and the corresponding γ is established for low solar (LSA), medium solar (MSA) and high solar (HSA) activity periods. For LSA, it is seen that the γ maximizes during post sunset time with comparable magnitudes for autumnal equinox (AE), vernal equinox (VE) and winter solstice (WS), while for summer solstice (SS) it maximizes in the post-midnight period. Concurrent responses are seen in the ESF occurrence pattern. For MSA, γ maximizes during post-sunset for VE followed by WS and AE while SS maximises during post-midnight period. The ESF occurrence for MSA is highest for VE (80%), followed by AE (70%), WS (60%) and SS (50%). In case of HSA, maximum γ occurs for VE followed by AE, WS and SS. The concurrent ESF occurrence maximizes for VE and AE (90%), WS and SS at 70%. The solar cycle variation of γ is examined. γ shows a linear variation with F10.7 cm flux. Further, ESF percentage occurrence and duration show an exponential and linear variation respectively with γ. An empirical model on the solar activity dependence of ESF occurrence and sustenance time over Indian longitudes is arrived at using the database spanning two solar cycles for the first time.

2D Relativistic MHD simulations of the Kruskal-Schwarzschild instability in a relativistic striped wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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.

Progress in indirect and direct-drive planar experiments on hydrodynamic instabilities at the ablation front

DOE PAGES

Casner, A.; Masse, L.; Delorme, B.; ...

2014-12-01

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 experimentsmore » 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. Lastly, the foams induce laser smoothing by parametric instabilities thus reducing the laser imprint on the CH foil.« less

An Archeological Survey of the Cross Ditch No.2 and Central Ditch Cleanout Project Poinsett County, Arkansas

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-10-01

REPORT October 1986 Report prepared by 0 % -’• Rt. 1 Box 186 ,o, West Fork, AR 72774 000 w ua0’ (501) 839-3663 0fr Memphis District, Corps of Engineers...Cleanout Project Poisett Co., AR c DACW66-86-M-1097 6. AUTHORS) Robert A. Taylor Carol S. Spears 7. PERFORW6NG ORGAN.ZATiON ANtMES) AND AD.JE.S3ýES) 8...ý-KiGkMING ORGANiAT.,NR•EPORT NUMEER Spears Professional Environmental & Archaeological Researcl Service West Fork, AR 9. SPONSORING MCNTO7’.G AG

Stability issues of nonlocal gravity during primordial inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belgacem, Enis; Cusin, Giulia; Foffa, Stefano; Maggiore, Michele; Mancarella, Michele

2018-01-01

We study the cosmological evolution of some nonlocal gravity models, when the initial conditions are set during a phase of primordial inflation. We examine in particular three models, the so-called RT, RR and Δ4 models, previously introduced by our group. We find that, during inflation, the RT model has a viable background evolution, but at the level of cosmological perturbations develops instabilities that make it nonviable. In contrast, the RR and Δ4 models have a viable evolution even when their initial conditions are set during a phase of primordial inflation.

Nonlinear saturation amplitudes in classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability at arbitrary Atwood numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2012-04-01

In this research, nonlinear saturation amplitudes (NSAs) of the first two harmonics in Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) for irrotational, incompressible, and inviscid fluids, with a discontinuous profile at arbitrary Atwood numbers, are investigated analytically, by considering nonlinear corrections up to the tenth-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. The NSA of the second harmonic can be obtained in the same way. The analytic results indicate that the effects of the higher-order correction (HOC) and the Atwood number (A) play an important role in the NSA of the RTI. It is found that the NSA of the fundamental mode decreases with increasing A. And when the HOC effects are considered, the NSA of the fundamental mode is significantly larger than 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)]. We find that the NSA of the second harmonic first decreases quickly with increasing A, reaching a minimum, and then increases slowly. Furthermore, the NSAs of the first two harmonics demonstrate the trend of convergence as the order of corrections increases. Thus, it should be included in applications where the NSAs play a role, such as inertial confinement fusion ignition target design.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casner, A.; Masse, L.; Delorme, B.

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 experimentsmore » 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. Lastly, the foams induce laser smoothing by parametric instabilities thus reducing the laser imprint on the CH foil.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casner, A., E-mail: alexis.casner@cea.fr; Masse, L.; Huser, G.

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 experimentsmore » 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.« less

Ratchet flow of thin liquid films induced by a two-frequency tangential forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterman-Cohen, Elad; Bestehorn, Michael; Oron, Alexander

2018-02-01

A possibility of saturating Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a thin liquid film on the underside of a substrate in the gravity field by harmonic vibration of the substrate was recently investigated [E. Sterman-Cohen, M. Bestehorn, and A. Oron, Phys. Fluids 29, 052105 (2017); Erratum, Phys. Fluids 29, 109901 (2017)]. In the present work, we investigate the feasibility of creating a directional flow of the fluid in a film in the Rayleigh-Taylor configuration and controlling its flow rate by applying a two-frequency tangential forcing to the substrate. It is shown that in this situation, a ratchet flow develops, and the dependence of its flow rate on the vibration frequency, amplitude, its periodicity, and asymmetry level is investigated for water and silicone-oil films. A cause for the emergence of symmetry-breaking and an ensuing flow in a preferred direction is discussed. Some aspects of a ratchet flow in a liquid film placed on top of the substrate are discussed as well. A comparison with the case of a neglected fluid inertia is made, and the differences are explained.

Long pulse gas-filled halfraums on OMEGA for high growth-factor ablative Rayleigh-Taylor experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casner, Alexis; Huser, G.; Villette, B.; Vandenboomgaerde, M.; Galmiche, D.; Liberatore, S.; Philippe, F.; Masse, L.

2007-11-01

Mitigation of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities growth is crucial to enhance the performance of LMJ and NIF ignition targets. We recently develop on OMEGA a long-pulse platform in order to experimentally prove two mechanisms invoked for RTI stabilization, i.e the graded-doped ablator [1] and the new laminated ablator concept [2]. We used gas-filled halfraums (1 atm neopentane) and stack up to 20 drive beams along 3 cones to create a 7 ns long radiation drive. The new E-IDI-300 phase plates were associated with 1D SSD and halfraum energetics was validated along P5/P8 axis for backscattering measurements along 2 cones. We will also present the first face-on radiographies for modulated CH(Ge) samples and compare them with FCI2 hydrocodes simulations. Foil thickness optimization based on these simulations allows us to anticipate growth factors up to 500 in optical depth and the experimental emulator designs for [1,2] will be presented. [1] S.W. Haan et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 056316 (2005). [2] L. Masse., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 245001 (2007). DPP07 invited talk.

Propagating confined states in phase dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brand, Helmut R.; Deissler, Robert J.

1992-01-01

Theoretical treatment is given to the possibility of the existence of propagating confined states in the nonlinear phase equation by generalizing stationary confined states. The nonlinear phase equation is set forth for the case of propagating patterns with long wavelengths and low-frequency modulation. A large range of parameter values is shown to exist for propagating confined states which have spatially localized regions which travel on a background with unique wavelengths. The theoretical phenomena are shown to correspond to such physical systems as spirals in Taylor instabilities, traveling waves in convective systems, and slot-convection phenomena for binary fluid mixtures.

Low Fuel Convergence Path to Direct-Drive Fusion Ignition

DOE PAGES

Molvig, Kim; Schmitt, Mark J.; Albright, Brian James; ...

2016-06-24

A new class of inertial fusion capsules is presented that combines multishell targets with laser direct drive at low intensity (2.8 × 10 14 W/cm 2) to achieve robust ignition. The targets consist of three concentric, heavy, metal shells, enclosing a volume of tens of μg of liquid deuterium-tritium fuel. Ignition is designed to occur well “upstream” from stagnation, with minimal pusher deceleration to mitigate interface Rayleigh-Taylor growth. As a result, laser intensities below thresholds for laser plasma instability and cross beam energy transfer facilitate high hydrodynamic efficiency (~10%).

Expansion tube test time predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gourlay, Christopher M.

1988-01-01

The interaction of an interface between two gases and strong expansion is investigated and the effect on flow in an expansion tube is examined. Two mechanisms for the unsteady Pitot-pressure fluctuations found in the test section of an expansion tube are proposed. The first mechanism depends on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of the driver-test gas interface in the presence of a strong expansion. The second mechanism depends on the reflection of the strong expansion from the interface. Predictions compare favorably with experimental results. The theory is expected to be independent of the absolute values of the initial expansion tube filling pressures.

Extended hydrodynamic theory of the peak and minimum pool boiling heat fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linehard, J. H.; Dhir, V. K.

1973-01-01

The hydrodynamic theory of the extreme pool boiling heat fluxes is expanded to embrace a variety of problems that have not previously been analyzed. These problems include the prediction of the peak heat flux on a variety of finite heaters, the influence of viscosity on the Taylor and Helmoltz instability mechanisms with application to film boiling and to the peak heat flux in viscous liquids, the formalization of the analogy between high-current-density electrolysis and boiling, and the description of boiling in the low-gravity limit. The predictions are verified with a large number of new data.

Development and validation of a turbulent-mix model for variable-density and compressible flows.

PubMed

Banerjee, Arindam; Gore, Robert A; Andrews, Malcolm J

2010-10-01

The modeling of buoyancy driven turbulent flows is considered in conjunction with an advanced statistical turbulence model referred to as the BHR (Besnard-Harlow-Rauenzahn) k-S-a model. The BHR k-S-a model is focused on variable-density and compressible flows such as Rayleigh-Taylor (RT), Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM), and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) driven mixing. The BHR k-S-a turbulence mix model has been implemented in the RAGE hydro-code, and model constants are evaluated based on analytical self-similar solutions of the model equations. The results are then compared with a large test database available from experiments and direct numerical simulations (DNS) of RT, RM, and KH driven mixing. Furthermore, we describe research to understand how the BHR k-S-a turbulence model operates over a range of moderate to high Reynolds number buoyancy driven flows, with a goal of placing the modeling of buoyancy driven turbulent flows at the same level of development as that of single phase shear flows.

On the Evolution From Micrometer-Scale Inhomogeneity to Global Overheated Structure During the Intense Joule Heating of a z-Pinch Rod

DOE PAGES

Awe, T. J.; Yu, E. P.; Yates, K. C.; ...

2017-02-21

Ultrafast optical microscopy of metal z-pinch rods pulsed with megaampere current is contributing new data and critical insight into what provides the fundamental seed for the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability. A two-frame near infrared/visible intensified-charge-coupled device gated imager with 2-ns temporal resolution and 3-μm spatial resolution captured emissions from the nonuniformly Joule heated surfaces of ultrasmooth aluminum (Al) rods. Nonuniform surface emissions are consistently first observed from discrete, 10-μm scale, subelectronvolt spots. Aluminum 6061 alloy, with micrometer-scale nonmetallic resistive inclusions, forms several times more spots than 99.999% pure Al 5N; 5-10 ns later, azimuthally stretched elliptical spots and distinct strata (40-100more » μm wide by 10 μm tall) are observed on Al 6061, but not on Al 5N. In such overheat strata, aligned parallel to the magnetic field, we find that they are highly effective seeds for MRT instability growth. Our data give credence to the hypothesis that early nonuniform Joule heating, such as the electrothermal instability, may provide the dominant seed for MRT.« less

Stability of miscible displacements across stratified porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shariati, Maryam; Yortsos, Yanis C.

2001-08-01

We consider the stability of miscible displacements across stratified porous media, where the heterogeneity is along the direction of displacement. Asymptotic results for long and short wavelengths are derived. It is found that heterogeneity has a long-wave effect on the instability, which, in the absence of gravity, becomes nontrivial when the viscosity profiles are nonmonotonic. In the latter case, profiles with end-point viscosities, predicted to be stable using the Saffman-Taylor criterion, can become unstable, if the permeability contrast in the direction of displacement is sufficiently large. Conversely, profiles with end-point viscosities predicted to be unstable, can become stable, if the permeability decrease in the direction of displacement is sufficiently large. Analogous results are found in the presence of gravity, but without the nonmonotonic restriction on the viscosity profile. The increase or decrease in the propensity for instability as the permeability increases or decreases, respectively, reflects the variation of the two different components of the effective fluid mobility. While permeability remains frozen in space, viscosity varies following the concentration field. Thus, the condition for instability does not solely depend on the overall fluid mobility, as in the case of displacements in homogeneous media, but it is additionally dependent on the permeability variation.

Experimental study of transient paths to the extinction in sonoluminescence.

PubMed

Urteaga, Raúl; Dellavale, Damián; Puente, Gabriela F; Bonetto, Fabián J

2008-09-01

An experimental study of the extinction threshold of single bubble sonoluminescence in an air-water system is presented. Different runs from 5% to 100% of air concentrations were performed at room pressure and temperature. The intensity of sonoluminescence (SL) and time of collapse (t(c)) with respect to the driving were measured while the acoustic pressure was linearly increased from the onset of SL until the bubble extinction. The experimental data were compared with theoretical predictions for shape and position instability thresholds. It was found that the extinction of the bubble is determined by different mechanisms depending on the air concentration. For concentrations greater than approximately 30%-40% with respect to the saturation, the parametric instability limits the maximum value of R(0) that can be reached. On the other hand, for lower concentrations, the extinction appears as a limitation in the time of collapse. Two different mechanisms emerge in this range, i.e., the Bjerknes force and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The bubble acoustic emission produces backreaction on the bubble itself. This effect occurs in both mechanisms and is essential for the correct prediction of the extinction threshold in the case of low air dissolved concentration.

The origin and structure of streak-like instabilities in laminar boundary layer flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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).

Two-Phase Dynamics Simulations of the Growth and Instability of Earth's Inner Core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernlund, J. W.; Jellinek, M.; Labrosse, S.

2008-12-01

When the center of Earth's core began to freeze from a homogeneous liquid 1-2 billion years ago, its constitution was very likely that of a mushy region. As this incipient inner core grew by further crystallization of the outer core, an increase in gravity force allowed for the solid grains to compress against one another, undergo viscous compaction, and begin to expel remnant fluid out of the inner core by percolation. Meanwhile, inside the inner core the residual fluid and solid remained in equilibrium, and any perturbations that resulted in upwelling of the deformable mush would also be accompanied by decompression melting. Upwelling and melting regions might then increase in liquid fraction, become less dense, and hence buoyant in a way that would propel them upward at a faster rate, setting up a runaway instability and partial Rayleigh-Taylor-like overturn of Earth's inner core. Structures inherited from this event possibly include the distinct innermost inner core posited by seismologists to exist at Earth's centermost 300-600 km. We use a new two-phase dynamics code to model this scenario in axi-symmetric geometry in order to understand whether and when such an instability occurred, what size the core will have been at the onset of instability, and the degree and style of deformation that would have accompanied this episode. We have found that the growth of instability competes with the rate of background melt percolation, such that the instability would only have occurred after the inner core reaches a critical size and expelled a certain amount of liquid from its interior. A linear stability analysis confirms that there is a critical Rayleigh number for the onset of instability at a given radius. The combined constraints show that the inner core is guaranteed to have undergone this kind of instability, at a time and strength governed solely by physical properties such as grain size, density differences between liquid and solid, and viscosities of the phases.

The effect of a crosslinking chemical reaction on pattern formation in viscous fingering of miscible fluids in a Hele-Shaw cell.

PubMed

Bunton, Patrick H; Tullier, Michael P; Meiburg, Eckart; Pojman, John A

2017-10-01

Viscous fingering can occur in fluid motion whenever a high mobility fluid displaces a low mobility fluid in a Darcy type flow. When the mobility difference is primarily attributable to viscosity (e.g., flow between the two horizontal plates of a Hele-Shaw cell), viscous fingering (VF) occurs, which is sometimes termed the Saffman-Taylor instability. Alternatively, in the presence of differences in density in a gravity field, buoyancy-driven convection can occur. These instabilities have been studied for decades, in part because of their many applications in pollutant dispersal, ocean currents, enhanced petroleum recovery, and so on. More recent interest has emerged regarding the effects of chemical reactions on fingering instabilities. As chemical reactions change the key flow parameters (densities, viscosities, and concentrations), they may have either a destabilizing or stabilizing effect on the flow. Hence, new flow patterns can emerge; moreover, one can then hope to gain some control over flow instabilities through reaction rates, flow rates, and reaction products. We report effects of chemical reactions on VF in a Hele-Shaw cell for a reactive step-growth cross-linking polymerization system. The cross-linked reaction product results in a non-monotonic viscosity profile at the interface, which affects flow stability. Furthermore, three-dimensional internal flows influence the long-term pattern that results.

Flute Instability of Expanding Plasma Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudnikova, Galina; Vshivkov, Vitali

2000-10-01

The expansion of plasma against a magnetized background where collisions play no role is a situation common to many plasma phenomena. The character of interaction between expanding plasma and background plasma is depending of the ratio of the expansion velocity to the ambient Alfven velocity. If the expansion speed is greater than the background Alfven speed (super-Alfvenic flows) a collisionless shock waves are formed in background plasma. It is originally think that if the expansion speed is less than Alfvenic speed (sub-Alfvenic flows) the interaction of plasma flows will be laminar in nature. However, the results of laboratory experiments and chemical releases in magnetosphere have shown the development of flute instability on the boundary of expanding plasma (Rayleigh-Taylor instability). A lot of theoretical and experimental papers have been devoted to study the Large Larmor Flute Instability (LLFI) of plasma expanding into a vacuum magnetic field. In the present paper on the base of computer simulation of plasma cloud expansion in magnetizied background plasma the regimes of development and stabilization LLFI for super- and sub-Alfvenic plasma flows are investigated. 2D hybrid numerical model is based on kinetic Vlasov equation for ions and hydrodynamic approximation for electrons. The similarity parameters characterizing the regimes of laminar flows are founded. The stabilization of LLFI takes place with the transition from sub- to super-Alfvenic plasma cloud expansion. The results of the comparision between computer simulation and laboratory simulation are described.

An in-flight radiography platform to measure hydrodynamic instability growth in inertial confinement fusion capsules at the National Ignition Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raman, K. S.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Casey, D. T.

2014-07-15

A new in-flight radiography platform has been established at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to measure Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov instability growth in inertial confinement fusion capsules. The platform has been tested up to a convergence ratio of 4. An experimental campaign is underway to measure the growth of pre-imposed sinusoidal modulations of the capsule surface, as a function of wavelength, for a pair of ignition-relevant laser drives: a “low-foot” drive representative of what was fielded during the National Ignition Campaign (NIC) [Edwards et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 070501 (2013)] and the new high-foot [Dittrich et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112,more » 055002 (2014); Park et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 055001 (2014)] pulse shape, for which the predicted instability growth is much lower. We present measurements of Legendre modes 30, 60, and 90 for the NIC-type, low-foot, drive, and modes 60 and 90 for the high-foot drive. The measured growth is consistent with model predictions, including much less growth for the high-foot drive, demonstrating the instability mitigation aspect of this new pulse shape. We present the design of the platform in detail and discuss the implications of the data it generates for the on-going ignition effort at NIF.« less

The effect of a crosslinking chemical reaction on pattern formation in viscous fingering of miscible fluids in a Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunton, Patrick H.; Tullier, Michael P.; Meiburg, Eckart; Pojman, John A.

2017-10-01

Viscous fingering can occur in fluid motion whenever a high mobility fluid displaces a low mobility fluid in a Darcy type flow. When the mobility difference is primarily attributable to viscosity (e.g., flow between the two horizontal plates of a Hele-Shaw cell), viscous fingering (VF) occurs, which is sometimes termed the Saffman-Taylor instability. Alternatively, in the presence of differences in density in a gravity field, buoyancy-driven convection can occur. These instabilities have been studied for decades, in part because of their many applications in pollutant dispersal, ocean currents, enhanced petroleum recovery, and so on. More recent interest has emerged regarding the effects of chemical reactions on fingering instabilities. As chemical reactions change the key flow parameters (densities, viscosities, and concentrations), they may have either a destabilizing or stabilizing effect on the flow. Hence, new flow patterns can emerge; moreover, one can then hope to gain some control over flow instabilities through reaction rates, flow rates, and reaction products. We report effects of chemical reactions on VF in a Hele-Shaw cell for a reactive step-growth cross-linking polymerization system. The cross-linked reaction product results in a non-monotonic viscosity profile at the interface, which affects flow stability. Furthermore, three-dimensional internal flows influence the long-term pattern that results.

Phase behavior of colloidal dimers and hydrodynamic instabilities in binary mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milinkovic, K.

2013-05-01

We use computer simulations to study colloidal suspensions comprised of either bidisperse spherical particles or monodisperse dimer particles. The two main simulation techniques employed are a hybrid between molecular dynamics and stochastic rotation dynamics (MD-SRD), and a Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm. MD-SRD allows us to take Brownian motion and hydrodynamic interactions into account, while we use MC simulations to study equilibrium phase behavior. The first part of this thesis is dedicated to studying the Rayleigh-Taylor-like hydrodynamic instabilities which form in binary colloidal mixtures. Configurations with initially inhomogeneous distributions of colloidal species let to sediment in confinement will undergo the instability, and here we have studied the formation, evolution and the structural organization of the colloids within the instability as a function of the properties of the binary mixture. We found that the distribution of the colloids within the instability does not depend significantly on the composition of the mixtures, but does depend greatly on the relative magnitudes of the particle Peclet numbers. To follow the time evolution of the instability formation we calculated the spatial colloid velocity correlation functions, observing alternating regions in which the particle sedimentation velocities are correlated and anticorrelated. These observations are consistent with the network-like structures which are characteristic for Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. We also calculated the growth rates of the unstable modes both from our simulation data and theoretically, finding good agreement between the obtained results. The second part of this thesis focuses on the phase behavior of monodisperse dimer systems. We first studied the phase behavior of hard snowman-shaped particles which consist of tangential hard spheres with different diameters. We used Monte Carlo simulations and free energy calculations to obtain the phase diagram as a function of the sphere diameter ratio, predicting stable isotropic fluid, plastic crystal and aperiodic crystalline phases. The crystalline phases found to be stable for a given diameter ratio at high densities correspond to the close packed structures of equimolar binary hard-sphere mixtures with the same diameter ratio. However, we also predict several crystal-crystal phase transitions, such that the best packed structures are stable at higher densities, while those with a higher degree of degeneracy are stable at lower densities. To explore the effects of degeneracy entropy on the phase behavior of dimer particles, we calculated the phase diagram of hard asymmetric dumbbells. These particles consist of two spheres with fixed diameters and varying center-to-center separation. We predicted stable isotropic fluid, plastic crystal, and periodic NaCl-based and both periodic and aperiodic CrB-based crystalline phases, and found that reducing the sphere separation results in the aperiodic crystalline phases of snowman-shaped particles becoming destabilized. Finally, we have also studied the phase behavior of dumbbell particles interacting with hard-core repulsive Yukawa potentials. We found that dumbbells with sufficiently long-ranged interactions crystallize spontaneously into plastic crystals in which the particle centers of mass are located on average on a BCC crystal lattice. The auto- and spatial orientational correlation functions reveal no significant hindrance of the particle rotations even for the shortest ranged interactions studied.

Interaction of plasmas with lithium and tungsten fusion plasma facing components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiflis, Peter Robert

One of the largest outstanding issues in magnetic confinement fusion is the interaction of the fusion plasma with the first wall of the device; an interaction which is strongest in the divertor region. Erosion, melting, sputtering, and deformation are all concerns which inform choices of divertor material. Of the many materials proposed for use in the divertor, only a few remain as promising choices. Tungsten has been chosen as the material for the ITER divertor, and liquid lithium stands poised as its replacement in higher heat flux devices. As a refractory metal, tungsten's large melting point and thermal conductivity as well as its low sputtering yield have led to its selection as the material of choice of the ITER divertor. Experiments have reinforced this choice demonstrating tungsten's ability to withstand large heat fluxes when adequately cooled. However, tungsten has shown a propensity to nanostructure under exposure within a certain temperature range to large fluxes of helium ions. These nanostructures if disrupted into the plasma as dust by an off-normal event would cause quenching of the plasma from the generated dust. Liquid lithium, meanwhile, has gathered growing interest within the fusion community in recent years as a divertor, limiter, and alternative first wall material. Liquid lithium is attractive as a low-Z material replacement for refractory metals due to its ability to getter impurities, while also being self-healing in nature. However, concerns exist about the stability of a liquid metal surface at the edge of a fusion device. Liquid metal pools, such as the Li-DiMes probe, have shown evidence of macroscopic lithium displacement as well as droplet formation and ejection into the plasma. These issues must be mitigated in future implementations of liquid lithium divertor concepts. Rayleigh-Taylor-like (RT) and Kelvin-Helmholtz-like (KH) instabilities have been claimed as the initiators of droplet ejection, yet not enough data exists to delineate a stability boundary. The influences of plasma pressure and current driven instabilities on lithium surfaces that lead to droplet ejection are investigated to determine which of the two effects is dominant for a given set of plasma conditions. This work studies the influence of large plasma fluxes on these two materials to better inform the selection and design of plasma facing components (PFCs). The nanostructuring of tungsten was investigated to determine the mechanisms by which tungsten nanostructures so that its formation may be mitigated. Experiments investigated the dependence of nanostructuring on temperature, looked at the morphological evolution, and grew nanostructures on a variety of metals to examine their similarity to tungsten. Additionally, a computational model is presented for the initial stages of fuzz formation showing good quantitative and qualitative agreement with experimental observations. The influences of RT and KH instabilities on the surface of liquid lithium were experimentally observed and quantified on the ThermoElectric-driven Liquid-metal plasma-facing Structures (TELS) chamber at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the stabilizing effect of surface tension, an effect employed by the LiMIT concept as well as other liquid lithium concepts, was studied, and the stability boundary afforded by surface tension was compared between experiment, computational simulation, and theory.

The minimum or natural rate of flow and droplet size ejected by Taylor cone-jets: physical symmetries and scaling laws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gañán-Calvo, A. M.; Rebollo-Muñoz, N.; Montanero, J. M.

2013-03-01

We aim to establish the scaling laws for both the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady cone-jet mode of electrospray, and the size of the resulting droplets in that limit. Use is made of a small body of literature on Taylor cone-jets reporting precise measurements of the transported electric current and droplet size as a function of the liquid properties and flow rate. The projection of the data onto an appropriate non-dimensional parameter space maps a region bounded by the minimum rate of flow attainable in the steady state. To explain these experimental results, we propose a theoretical model based on the generalized concept of physical symmetry, stemming from the system time invariance (steadiness). A group of symmetries rising at the cone-to-jet geometrical transition determines the scaling for the minimum flow rate and related variables. If the flow rate is decreased below that minimum value, those symmetries break down, which leads to dripping. We find that the system exhibits two instability mechanisms depending on the nature of the forces arising against the flow: one dominated by viscosity and the other by the liquid polarity. In the former case, full charge relaxation is guaranteed down to the minimum flow rate, while in the latter the instability condition becomes equivalent to the symmetry breakdown by charge relaxation or separation. When cone-jets are formed without artificially imposing a flow rate, a microjet is issued quasi-steadily. The flow rate naturally ejected this way coincides with the minimum flow rate studied here. This natural flow rate determines the minimum droplet size that can be steadily produced by any electrohydrodynamic means for a given set of liquid properties.

Viscous effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability with background temperature gradient

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerashchenko, Sergiy; Livescu, Daniel

Here we studied the growth rate of the compressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the presence of a background temperature gradient, Θ, using a normal mode analysis. The effect of Θ variation is examined for three interface types corresponding to the combinations of the viscous properties of the fluids (inviscid-inviscid, viscous-viscous, and viscous-inviscid) at different Atwood numbers, At, and when at least one of the fluids' viscosity is non-zero, as a function of the Grashof number. For the general case, the resulting ordinary differential equations are solved numerically; however, dispersion relations for the growth rate are presented for several limiting cases. Anmore » analytical solution is found for the inviscid-inviscid interface and the corresponding dispersion equation for the growth rate is obtained in the limit of large Θ. For the viscous-inviscid case, a dispersion relation is derived in the incompressible limit and Θ=0. Compared to Θ=0 case, the role of Θ<0 (hotter light fluid) is destabilizing and becomes stabilizing when Θ>0 (colder light fluid). The most pronounced effect of Θ ≠ 0 is found at low At and/or at large perturbation wavelengths relative to the domain size for all interface types. On the other hand, at small perturbation wavelengths relative to the domain size, the growth rate for the Θ<0 case exceeds the infinite domain incompressible constant density result. The results are applied to two practical examples, using sets of parameters relevant to Inertial Confinement Fusion coasting stage and solar corona plumes. The role of viscosity on the growth rate reduction is discussed together with highlighting the range of wavenumbers most affected by viscosity. The viscous effects further increase in the presence of background temperature gradient, when the viscosity is temperature dependent.« less

Constraints on Lithospheric Rheology from Observations of Coronae on Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Rourke, Joseph G.; Smrekar, Suzanne; Moresi, Louis N.

2016-10-01

Coronae are enigmatic, quasi-circular features found in myriad geological environments. They are primarily distinguished as rings of concentric fractures superimposed on various topographic profiles with at least small-scale volcanism. Mantle plumes may produce coronae with interior rises, whereas coronae with central depressions are often attributed to downwellings like Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. For almost three decades, modelers have attempted to reproduce the topographic and gravity profiles measured at coronae. Until recently, few studies also considered tectonic deformation and melt production. In particular, "Type 2" coronae have complete topographic rims but arcs of fractures extending less than 180°, signifying both brittle and ductile deformation. Only a narrow range of rheological parameters like temperature and volatile content may be compatible with these observations. Ultimately, identifying how lithospheric properties differ between Earth and Venus is critical to understanding what factors permit plate tectonics on rocky, Earth-sized planets.Here we present a hierarchical approach to study the formation of coronae. First, we discuss an observational survey enabled by a new digital elevation model derived from stereo topography for ~20% of the surface of Venus, which offers an order-of-magnitude improvement over the horizontal resolution (10 to 20 kilometers) of altimetry data from NASA's Magellan mission. Next, we search this new dataset for signs of lithospheric flexure around small coronae. Simple, thin-elastic plate models were fit to topographic profiles of larger coronae in previous studies, but data resolution impeded efforts to apply this method to the entire coronae population. Finally, we show simulations of the formation of coronae using Underworld II, an open-source code adaptable to a variety of geodynamical problems. We benchmark our code using models of pure Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities and then investigate the influence of realistic rheology and three-dimensional effects on the topography, tectonics, and magmatism.

Viscous effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability with background temperature gradient

DOE PAGES

Gerashchenko, Sergiy; Livescu, Daniel

2016-07-28

Here we studied the growth rate of the compressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the presence of a background temperature gradient, Θ, using a normal mode analysis. The effect of Θ variation is examined for three interface types corresponding to the combinations of the viscous properties of the fluids (inviscid-inviscid, viscous-viscous, and viscous-inviscid) at different Atwood numbers, At, and when at least one of the fluids' viscosity is non-zero, as a function of the Grashof number. For the general case, the resulting ordinary differential equations are solved numerically; however, dispersion relations for the growth rate are presented for several limiting cases. Anmore » analytical solution is found for the inviscid-inviscid interface and the corresponding dispersion equation for the growth rate is obtained in the limit of large Θ. For the viscous-inviscid case, a dispersion relation is derived in the incompressible limit and Θ=0. Compared to Θ=0 case, the role of Θ<0 (hotter light fluid) is destabilizing and becomes stabilizing when Θ>0 (colder light fluid). The most pronounced effect of Θ ≠ 0 is found at low At and/or at large perturbation wavelengths relative to the domain size for all interface types. On the other hand, at small perturbation wavelengths relative to the domain size, the growth rate for the Θ<0 case exceeds the infinite domain incompressible constant density result. The results are applied to two practical examples, using sets of parameters relevant to Inertial Confinement Fusion coasting stage and solar corona plumes. The role of viscosity on the growth rate reduction is discussed together with highlighting the range of wavenumbers most affected by viscosity. The viscous effects further increase in the presence of background temperature gradient, when the viscosity is temperature dependent.« less

Coupling between interface and velocity perturbations in the weakly nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

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

2012-11-15

Weakly nonlinear (WN) Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) initiated by single-mode cosinusoidal interface and velocity perturbations is investigated analytically up to the third order. Expressions of the temporal evolutions of the amplitudes of the first three harmonics are derived. It is shown that there are coupling between interface and velocity perturbations, which plays a prominent role in the WN growth. When the 'equivalent amplitude' of the initial velocity perturbation, which is normalized by its linear growth rate, is compared to the amplitude of the initial interface perturbation, the coupling between them dominates the WN growth of the RTI. Furthermore, the RTI wouldmore » be mitigated by initiating a velocity perturbation with a relative phase shift against the interface perturbation. More specifically, when the phase shift between the interface perturbation and the velocity perturbation is {pi} and their equivalent amplitudes are equal, the RTI could be completely quenched. If the equivalent amplitude of the initial velocity perturbation is equal to the initial interface perturbation, the difference between the WN growth of the RTI initiated by only an interface perturbation and by only a velocity perturbation is found to be asymptotically negligible. The dependence of the WN growth on the Atwood numbers and the initial perturbation amplitudes is discussed. In particular, we investigate the dependence of the saturation amplitude (time) of the fundamental mode on the Atwood numbers and the initial perturbation amplitudes. It is found that the Atwood numbers and the initial perturbation amplitudes play a crucial role in the WN growth of the RTI. Thus, it should be included in applications where the seeds of the RTI have velocity perturbations, such as inertial confinement fusion implosions and supernova explosions.« less

Faith in a seed: on the origins of equatorial plasma bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Retterer, J. M.; Roddy, P.

2014-05-01

Our faith in the seeds of equatorial plasma irregularities holds that there will generally always be density perturbations sufficient to provide the seeds for irregularity development whenever the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is active. When the duration of the time of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is short, however, the magnitude of the seed perturbations can make a difference in whether the irregularities have a chance to grow to a strength at which the nonlinear development of plumes occurs. In addition, the character of the resulting irregularities reflects the characteristics of the initial seed density perturbation, e.g., their strength, spacing, and, to some extent, their spatial scales, and it is important to know the seeds to help determine the structure of the developed irregularities. To this end, we describe the climatology of daytime and early-evening density irregularities that can serve as seeds for later development of plumes, as determined from the Planar Langmuir Probe (PLP) plasma density measurements on the C/NOFS (Communication and Navigation Outage Forecast System) satellite mission, presenting their magnitude as a function of altitude, latitude, longitude, local time, season, and phase in the solar cycle (within the C/NOFS observation era). To examine some of the consequences of these density perturbations, they are used as initial conditions for the PBMOD PBMOD (Retterer, 2010a) 3-D irregularity model to follow their potential development into larger-amplitude irregularities, plumes, and radio scintillation. "Though I do not believe that a pla[sma bubble] will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." - Henry David Thoreau

Fabrication of Multscale Fractal-Like Structures by Controlling Fluid Interface Instability

PubMed Central

Islam, Tanveer ul; Gandhi, Prasanna S.

2016-01-01

Nature, in quest for the best designs has shaped its vital systems into fractal geometries. Effectual way of spontaneous fabrication of scalable, ordered fractal-like structures by controlling Saffman-Taylor instability in a lifted Hele-Shaw cell is deployed here. In lifted Hele-Shaw cell uncontrolled penetration of low-viscosity fluid into its high-viscosity counterpart is known to develop irregular, non-repeatable, normally short-lived, branched patterns. We propose and characterize experimentally anisotropies in a form of spatially distributed pits on the cell plates to control initiation and further penetration of non-splitting fingers. The proposed control over shielding mechanism yields recipes for fabrication of families of ordered fractal-like patterns of multiple generations. As an example, we demonstrate and characterize fabrication of a Cayley tree fractal-like pattern. The patterns, in addition, are retained permanently by employing UV/thermally curable fluids. The proposed technique thus establishes solid foundation for bio-mimicking natural structures spanning multiple-scales for scientific and engineering use. PMID:27849003

Impinging jets atomization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ibrahim, E. A.; Przekwas, A. J.

1991-01-01

An analysis of the characteristics of the spray produced by an impinging-jet injector is presented. Predictions of the spray droplet size and distribution are obtained through studying the formation and disintegration of the liquid sheet formed by the impact of two cylindrical jets of the same diameter and momentum. Two breakup regimes of the sheet are considered depending on Weber number, with transition occurring at Weber numbers between 500 and 2000. In the lower Weber number regime, the breakup is due to Taylor cardioidal waves, while at Weber number higher than 2000, the sheet disintegration is by the growth of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability waves. Theoretical expressions to predict the sheet thickness and shape are derived for the low Weber number breakup regime. An existing mathematical analysis of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of radially moving liquid sheets is adopted in the predictions of resultant drop sizes by sheet breakup at Weber numbers greater than 2000. Comparisons of present theoretical results with experimental measurements and empirical correlations reported in the literature reveal favorable agreement.

Fabrication of Multscale Fractal-Like Structures by Controlling Fluid Interface Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, Tanveer Ul; Gandhi, Prasanna S.

2016-11-01

Nature, in quest for the best designs has shaped its vital systems into fractal geometries. Effectual way of spontaneous fabrication of scalable, ordered fractal-like structures by controlling Saffman-Taylor instability in a lifted Hele-Shaw cell is deployed here. In lifted Hele-Shaw cell uncontrolled penetration of low-viscosity fluid into its high-viscosity counterpart is known to develop irregular, non-repeatable, normally short-lived, branched patterns. We propose and characterize experimentally anisotropies in a form of spatially distributed pits on the cell plates to control initiation and further penetration of non-splitting fingers. The proposed control over shielding mechanism yields recipes for fabrication of families of ordered fractal-like patterns of multiple generations. As an example, we demonstrate and characterize fabrication of a Cayley tree fractal-like pattern. The patterns, in addition, are retained permanently by employing UV/thermally curable fluids. The proposed technique thus establishes solid foundation for bio-mimicking natural structures spanning multiple-scales for scientific and engineering use.

Physics and Novel Schemes of Laser Radiation Pressure Acceleration for Quasi-monoenergetic Proton Generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Chuan S.; Shao, Xi

2016-06-14

The main objective of our work is to provide theoretical basis and modeling support for the design and experimental setup of compact laser proton accelerator to produce high quality proton beams tunable with energy from 50 to 250 MeV using short pulse sub-petawatt laser. We performed theoretical and computational studies of energy scaling and Raleigh--Taylor instability development in laser radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) and developed novel RPA-based schemes to remedy/suppress instabilities for high-quality quasimonoenergetic proton beam generation as we proposed. During the project period, we published nine peer-reviewed journal papers and made twenty conference presentations including six invited talks onmore » our work. The project supported one graduate student who received his PhD degree in physics in 2013 and supported two post-doctoral associates. We also mentored three high school students and one undergraduate student of physics major by inspiring their interests and having them involved in the project.« less

Taylor Instability of Incompressible Liquids

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

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.

Experimental viscous fingering in a tapered radial Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bongrand, Gregoire; Tsai, Peichun Amy; Complex Fludis Group Team

2017-11-01

The fluid-fluid displacement in porous media is a common process that finds direct applications in various fields, such as enhanced oil recovery and geological CO2 sequestration. In this work, we experimentally investigate the influence of converging cells on viscous fingering instabilities using a radially-tapered cell. For air displacing oil, in contrast to the classical Saffman-Taylor fingering, our results show that a converging gradient in a radial propagation can provide a stabilizing effect and hinder fingering. For a fixed gap gradient and thickness, with increasing injection rates we find a stable displacement under small flow rates, whereas unstable fingering occurs above a certain threshold. We further investigate this critical flow rate delineating the stable and unstable regimes for different gap gradients. These results reveal that the displacement efficiency not only depends on the fluid properties but also on the interfacial velocity and channel structure. The latter factors provide a useful and convenient control to either trigger or inhibit fingering instability. NSERC Discovery, Accelerator, and CRC programs.

Collisions of plastic and foam laser-driven foils studied by orthogonal x-ray imaging.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aglitskiy, Y.; Metzler, N.; Karasik, M.; Serlin, V.; Obenschain, S. P.; Schmitt, A. J.; Velikovich, A. L.; Zalesak, S. T.; Gardner, J. H.; Weaver, J.; Oh, J.; Harding, E. C.

2007-11-01

We report an experimental study of hydrodynamic Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov-type instabilities developing at the material interface produced in double-foil collisions. Our double-foil targets consist of a plastic foil irradiated by the 4 ns Nike KrF laser pulse at ˜50 TW/cm^2 and accelerated toward a stationary plastic or foam foil. Either the rear side of the front foil or the front side of the rear foil is rippled. Orthogonal imaging, i. e., a simultaneous side-on and face-on x-ray radiography of the targets has been used in these experiments to observe the process of collision and the evolution of the areal mass amplitude modulation. Its observed evolution is similar to the case of the classical RM instability in finite thickness targets first studied by Y. Aglitsky et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 80703 (2006). Our data are favorably compared with 1D and 2D simulation results.

Inviscid linear stability analysis of two fluid columns of different densities subject to gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prathama, Aditya; Pantano, Carlos

2017-11-01

We investigate the inviscid linear stability of vertical interface between two fluid columns of different densities under the influence of gravity. In this flow arrangement, the two free streams are continuously accelerating, in contrast to the canonical Kelvin-Helmholtz or Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities whose base flows are stationary (or weakly time dependent). In these classical cases, the temporal evolution of the interface can be expressed as Fourier or Laplace solutions in time. This is not possible in our case; instead, we employ the initial value problem method to solve the equations analytically. The results, expressed in terms of the well-known parabolic cylinder function, indicate that the instability grows as the exponential of a quadratic function of time. The analysis shows that in this accelerating Kelvin-Helmholtz configuration, the interface is unconditionally unstable at all wave modes, despite the presence of surface tension. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (Award No. DE-NA0002382) and the California Institute of Technology.

Hepatitis C Virus RNA Real-Time Quantitative RT-PCR Method Based on a New Primer Design Strategy.

PubMed

Chen, Lida; Li, Wenli; Zhang, Kuo; Zhang, Rui; Lu, Tian; Hao, Mingju; Jia, Tingting; Sun, Yu; Lin, Guigao; Wang, Lunan; Li, Jinming

2016-01-01

Viral nucleic acids are unstable when improperly collected, handled, and stored, resulting in decreased sensitivity of currently available commercial quantitative nucleic acid testing kits. Using known unstable hepatitis C virus RNA, we developed a quantitative RT-PCR method based on a new primer design strategy to reduce the impact of nucleic acid instability on nucleic acid testing. The performance of the method was evaluated for linearity, limit of detection, precision, specificity, and agreement with commercial hepatitis C virus assays. Its clinical application was compared to that of two commercial kits--Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan (CAP/CTM) and Kehua. The quantitative RT-PCR method delivered a good performance, with a linearity of R(2) = 0.99, a total limit of detection (genotypes 1 to 6) of 42.6 IU/mL (95% CI, 32.84 to 67.76 IU/mL), a CV of 1.06% to 3.34%, a specificity of 100%, and a high concordance with the CAP/CTM assay (R(2) = 0.97), with a means ± SD value of -0.06 ± 1.96 log IU/mL (range, -0.38 to 0.25 log IU/mL). The method was superior to commercial assays in detecting unstable hepatitis C virus RNA (P < 0.05). This quantitative RT-PCR method can effectively eliminate the influence of RNA instability on nucleic acid testing. The principle of primer design strategy may be applied to the detection of other RNA or DNA viruses. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shear-induced formation of vesicles in membrane phases: Kinetics and size selection mechanisms, elasticity versus surface tension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courbin, L.; Panizza, P.

2004-02-01

Multilamellar vesicles can be formed upon shearing lamellar phases (Lα) and phase-separated lamellar-sponge (Lα/L3) mixtures. In the first case, the vesicle volume fraction is always 100% and the vesicle size is monitored by elasticity (“onion textures”). In the second system the vesicle volume fraction can be tuned from 0 to 100% and the mean size results from a balance between capillary and viscous forces (“Taylor droplets”). However, despite these differences, in both systems we show that the formation of vesicles is a strain-controlled process monitored by a universal primary buckling instability of the lamellae.

Effect of steady crucible rotation on segregation in high-pressure vertical Bridgman growth of cadmium zinc telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeckel, Andrew; Patrick Doty, F.; Derby, Jeffrey J.

1999-05-01

Three-dimensional axisymmetric, time-dependent simulations of the high-pressure vertical Bridgman growth of large-diameter cadmium zinc telluride are performed to study the effect of steady crucible rotation on axial and radial segregation in the grown crystal. The model includes details of heat transfer, melt convection, solid-liquid interface shape, and pseudo-binary zinc segregation. Imposing a moderate rotation rate of 10 rpm on the system slightly improves axial segregation but makes radial segregation much worse. Moreover, values of dimensionless thermal Rossby and Taylor numbers calculated for this system indicate that the baroclinic instability may occur at the rotation rates studied.

Dynamic stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of miscible liquids and the related "frozen waves"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Gerd Gerhard H.

2018-02-01

Superimposed miscible liquids, the heavier one on top, when subjected to vibrations vertical to their interface (dynamic stabilization), can only be maintained for a certain period. A mechanism is presented explaining the resulting process of degradation and "anomalous diffusion" through that interface. Superimposed liquids, the lighter one on top, exposed to horizontal vibrations, develop a saw-tooth-like pattern called "frozen waves." These are subject to conditions similar to those of dynamic stabilization and, if miscible, thus can also only be maintained for a certain period. A further analysis of these processes would be desirable, also in view of their relation to analogue phenomena.

Characterization of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets using PIXE, RBS, and STIM analysis.

PubMed

Li, Yongqiang; Liu, Xue; Li, Xinyi; Liu, Yiyang; Zheng, Yi; Wang, Min; Shen, Hao

2013-08-01

Quality control of the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) target in the laser fusion program is vital to ensure that energy deposition from the lasers results in uniform compression and minimization of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. The technique of nuclear microscopy with ion beam analysis is a powerful method to provide characterization of ICF targets. Distribution of elements, depth profile, and density image of ICF targets can be identified by particle-induced X-ray emission, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, and scanning transmission ion microscopy. We present examples of ICF target characterization by nuclear microscopy at Fudan University in order to demonstrate their potential impact in assessing target fabrication processes.

On the Structure of the Mixing Zone at an Unstable Contact Boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meshkov, E. E.

2018-01-01

The interface between two media of different densities (contact boundary) moving with an acceleration directed from the less dense medium to the more dense one is unstable (Rayleigh-Taylor instability) [1, 2]. The initial perturbations of the interface grow indefinitely and, as a result, a medium mixing zone growing with time is formed at the interface. The structure of such a mixing zone at gas-gas and gas-liquid interfaces is discussed on the basis of laboratory experiments on shock tubes of various types. It is concluded that the regions of turbulent and laminar flows are combined in the mixing zone.

Thermal evolution of a differentiated Ganymede and implications for surface features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirk, R. L.; Stevenson, D. J.

1987-01-01

Thermodynamic models are developed for the processes which controlled the evolution of the surface Ganymede, an icy Jovian satellite assumed to have a rock-rich core surrounded by a water-ice mantle. Account is taken of a heat pulse which would have arisen from a Rayleigh-Taylor instability at a deep-seated liquid-solid water interface, rapid fracturing from global stresses imposed by warm ice diapiric upwelling, impacts by large meteorites, and resurfacing by ice flows (rather than core formation). Comparisons are made with existing models for the evolution of Callisto, and the difficulties in defining a mechanism which produced the groove terrain of Ganymede are discussed.

An Experimental Investigation of Incompressible Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, J. W.; Niederhaus, C. E.

2002-01-01

Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability occurs when two different density fluids are impulsively accelerated in the direction normal to their nearly planar interface. The instability causes small perturbations on the interface to grow and eventually become a turbulent flow. It is closely related to Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which is the instability of a planar interface undergoing constant acceleration, such as caused by the suspension of a heavy fluid over a lighter one in the earth's gravitational field. Like the well-known Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, RM instability is a fundamental hydrodynamic instability which exhibits many of the nonlinear complexities that transform simple initial conditions into a complex turbulent flow. Furthermore, the simplicity of RM instability (in that it requires very few defining parameters), and the fact that it can be generated in a closed container, makes it an excellent test bed to study nonlinear stability theory as well as turbulent transport in a heterogeneous system. However, the fact that RM instability involves fluids of unequal densities which experience negligible gravitational force, except during the impulsive acceleration, requires RM instability experiments to be carried out under conditions of microgravity. This experimental study investigates the instability of an interface between incompressible, miscible liquids with an initial sinusoidal perturbation. The impulsive acceleration is generated by bouncing a rectangular tank containing two different density liquids off a retractable vertical spring. The initial perturbation is produced prior to release by oscillating the tank in the horizontal direction to produce a standing wave. The instability evolves in microgravity as the tank travels up and then down the vertical rails of a drop tower until hitting a shock absorber at the bottom. Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) is employed to visualize the flow. PLIF images are captured by a video camera that travels with the tank. Figure 1 is as sequence of images showing the development of the instability from the initial sinusoidal disturbance far into the nonlinear regime which is characterized by the appearance of mushroom structures resulting from the coalescence of baroclinic vorticity produced by the impulsive acceleration. At later times in this sequence the vortex cores are observed to become unstable showing the beginnings of the transition to turbulence in this flow. The amplitude of the growing disturbance after the impulsive acceleration is measured and found to agree well with theoretical predictions. The effects of Reynolds number (based on circulation) on the development of the vortices and the transition to turbulence are also determined.

A variational approach to the strongly nonlinear regime of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Toshio

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is the instability of the interface between two fluids of different densities. When a heavy fluid is superposed over a light fluid. small disturbances on the interface develop into a complex form with heavy fluid ``fingers'' and light fluid ``bubbles.'' We propose a variational method for the description of the evolution of the fingers and bubbles in the late stage of the instability. In this method, the fluid region is represented as the image of a time-dependent conformal mapping; the dynamics of the mapping is determined by the least action principle for the Lagrangian. i.e., the kinetic energy minus the potential energy. The evolution of a single finger and bubble is investigated by this method. We first consider a symmetric finger and bubble in a zero gravitational field. We derive an integrable Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom that governs the dynamics of the symmetric finger and bubble. We present a general solution of the system. The solution predicts the linear growth of the finger and the saturation of the bubble growth. It is shown that this solution is asymptotically exact. We consider a symmetric finger and bubble with perturbations. We show that the dynamics of the finger and bubble and that of the perturbations are decoupled. We next consider an inclined finger and bubble in a zero gravitational field. We derive a Hamiltonian system with four degrees of freedom that governs the dynamics of the inclined finger and bubble. The system has four integrals of motion, one of them depends on time explicitly. When there is no lateral motion, the system reduces to an integrable Hamiltonian system with three degrees of freedom. A general solution of the system is presented. The solution predicts the linear growth of the finger toward a direction and the saturation of the bubble growth. Finally, we consider a symmetric finger and bubble in a uniform gravitational field. We derive a Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom that governs the dynamics of the symmetric finger and bubble. Since the system includes a potential energy term, it is not integrable in general. However, we present a general solution in the case of the total energy being zero. This case corresponds to an interesting case where the evolution starts from a flat surface. The solution predicts that the finger grows as the square of time, and the bubble as the square root of time.

Torque Balances on the Taylor Cylinders in the Geomagnetic Data Assimilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuang, Weijia; Tangborn, Andrew

2004-01-01

In this presentation we report on our continuing effort in geomagnetic data assimilation, aiming at understanding and predicting geomagnetic secular variation on decadal time scales. In particular, we focus on the effect of the torque balances on the cylindrical surfaces in the core co-axial with the Earth's rotation axis (the Taylor cylinders) on the time evolution of assimilated solutions. We use our MoSST core dynamics,model and observed geomagnetic field at the Earth's surface derived via Comprehensive Field Model (CFM) for the geomagnetic data assimilation. In our earlier studies, a model solution is selected randomly from our numerical database. It is then assimilated with the observations such that the poloidal field possesses the same field tomography on the core-mantel boundary (CMB) continued downward from surface observations. This tomography change is assumed to be effective through out the outer core. While this approach allows rapid convergence between model solutions and the observations, it also generates sevee numerical instabilities: the delicate balance between weak fluid inertia and the magnetic torques on the Taylor cylinders are completely altered. Consequently, the assimilated solution diverges quickly (in approximately 10% of the magnetic free-decay time in the core). To improve the assimilation, we propose a partial penetration of the assimilation from the CMB: The full-scale modification at the CMB decreases linearly and vanish at an interior radius r(sub a). We shall examine from our assimilation tests possible relationships between the convergence rate of the model solutions to observations and the cut-off radius r(sub a). A better assimilation shall serve our nudging tests in near future.

Torque Balances on the Taylor Cylinders in the Geomagnetic Data Assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuang, W.; Tangborn, A.

2004-05-01

In this presentation we report on our continuing effort in geomagnetic data assimilation, aiming at understanding and predicting geomagnetic secular variation on decadal time scales. In particular, we focus on the effect of the torque balances on the cylindrical surfaces in the core co-axial with the Earth's rotation axis (the Taylor cylinders) on the time evolution of assimilated solutions. We use our MoSST core dynamics model and observed geomagnetic field at the Earth's surface derived via Comprehensive Field Model (CFM) for the geomagnetic data assimilation. In our earlier studies, a model solution is selected randomly from our numerical database. It is then assimilated with the observations such that the poloidal field possesses the same field tomography on the core-mantel boundary (CMB) continued downward from surface observations. This tomography change is assumed to be effective through out the outer core. While this approach allows rapid convergence between model solutions and the observations, it also generates sever numerical instabilities: the delicate balance between weak fluid inertia and the magnetic torques on the Taylor cylinders are completely altered. Consequently, the assimilated solution diverges quickly (in approximately 10% of the magnetic free-decay time in the core). To improve the assimilation, we propose a partial penetration of the assimilation from the CMB: The full-scale modification at the CMB decreases linearly and vanish at an interior radius ra. We shall examine from our assimilation tests possible relationships between the convergence rate of the model solutions to observations and the cut-off radius ra. A better assimilation shall serve our nudging tests in near future.

Observation of the Stratorotational Instability in Flow between Rotating Concentric Cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibanez, Ruy; Swinney, Harry L.; Rodenborn, Bruce

2015-03-01

We study the stratorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette system with a radius ratio η =ro /ri = 0 . 877 . The system is vertically stratified with a constant buoyancy frequency, N =√{ - (g /ρo) (∂ρ / ∂z) } . We determine when the flow becomes unstable as the ratio of the outer to inner cylinder rotation rates, μ =Ωo /Ωi , is decreased from unity (solid body rotation), for Reynolds numbers Re =Ωiri (ro -ri) / ν ranging from 450 to 4000 and N / 2 π = 0 . 3 to 1 . 0 Hz. The axial and azimuthal frequencies, obtained from spatiotemporal spectral analysis of digital movies, yield the observed modes at different Re and μ for fixed N. We find for sufficiently large buoyancy frequency, N / 2 π > 0 . 5 Hz, the stratorotational instability occurs even above the μ = η stability limit obtained from theory developed in the Boussinesq (small N) approximation [cf. the review by D A Shalybkov, Physics Uspekhi 52, 915 (2009)]. The frequencies we obtain for the azimuthal modes are close to multiples of the average frequency of rotation of the cylinders, while the axial wavelengths are found to vary linearly with Froude number, Fr =Ωi / N . Supported by The Sid W. Richardson Foundation.

Pair-instability Supernova Simulations: Progenitor Evolution, Explosion, and Light Curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmer, Matthew S.; Kozyreva, Alexandra; Hirschi, Raphael; Fröhlich, Carla; Yusof, Norhasliza

2017-09-01

In recent years, the viability of the pair-instability supernova (PISN) scenario for explaining superluminous supernovae has all but disappeared except for a few slowly-evolving examples. However, PISNe are not predicted to be superluminous throughout the bulk of their mass range. In fact, it is more likely that the first PISN we see (if we have not seen one already) will not be superluminous. Here, we present hydrodynamic simulations of PISNe for four stellar models with unique envelope properties spanning the PISN mass range. In addition, we compute synthetic light curves (LCs) for comparison with current and future observations. We also investigate, in the context of our most massive model, the prospect of mixing in the supernova ejecta, alleviating discrepancies between current PISN models and the remaining superluminous candidate events. To this end, we present the first published 3D hydrodynamic simulations of PISNe. After achieving convergence between 1D, 2D, and 3D simulations, we examine mixing in the supernova ejecta and its affect on the bolometric LC. We observe slight deviations from spherical symmetry, which increase with the number of dimensions. We find no significant effects on the bolometric LC; however, we conclude that mixing between the silicon and oxygen rich layers caused by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability may affect spectra.

Pair-instability Supernova Simulations: Progenitor Evolution, Explosion, and Light Curves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilmer, Matthew S.; Fröhlich, Carla; Kozyreva, Alexandra

2017-09-10

In recent years, the viability of the pair-instability supernova (PISN) scenario for explaining superluminous supernovae has all but disappeared except for a few slowly-evolving examples. However, PISNe are not predicted to be superluminous throughout the bulk of their mass range. In fact, it is more likely that the first PISN we see (if we have not seen one already) will not be superluminous. Here, we present hydrodynamic simulations of PISNe for four stellar models with unique envelope properties spanning the PISN mass range. In addition, we compute synthetic light curves (LCs) for comparison with current and future observations. We alsomore » investigate, in the context of our most massive model, the prospect of mixing in the supernova ejecta, alleviating discrepancies between current PISN models and the remaining superluminous candidate events. To this end, we present the first published 3D hydrodynamic simulations of PISNe. After achieving convergence between 1D, 2D, and 3D simulations, we examine mixing in the supernova ejecta and its affect on the bolometric LC. We observe slight deviations from spherical symmetry, which increase with the number of dimensions. We find no significant effects on the bolometric LC; however, we conclude that mixing between the silicon and oxygen rich layers caused by the Rayleigh–Taylor instability may affect spectra.« less

Asymptotic behavior of modulated Taylor-Couette flows with a crystalline inner cylinder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, R. J.; Mcfadden, G. B.; Murray, B. T.; Coriell, S. R.; Glicksman, M. E.; Selleck, M. E.

1993-01-01

The linear stability of a modulated Taylor-Couette system when the inner cylindrical boundary consists of a crystalline solid-liquid interface is considered. Both experimentally and in numerical calculations it is found that the two-phase system is significantly less stable than the analogous rigid-walled system for materials with moderately large Prandtl numbers. A numerical treatment based on Floquet theory is described, which gives results that are in good agreement with preliminary experimental findings. In addition, this instability is further examined by carrying out a formal asymptotic expansion of the solution in the limit of large Prandtl number. In this limit the Floquet analysis is considerably simplified, and the linear stability of the modulated system can be determined to leading order through a conventional stability analysis, without recourse to Floquet theory. The resulting simplified problem is then studied for both the narrow gap geometry and for the case of a finite gap. It is surprising that the determination of the linear stability of the two-phase system is considerably simpler than that of the rigid-walled system, despite the complications introduced by the presence of the crystal-melt interface.

Statistical characterization of planar two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor mixing layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sendersky, Dmitry

2000-10-01

The statistical evolution of a planar, randomly perturbed fluid interface subject to Rayleigh-Taylor instability is explored through numerical simulation in two space dimensions. The data set, generated by the front-tracking code FronTier, is highly resolved and covers a large ensemble of initial perturbations, allowing a more refined analysis of closure issues pertinent to the stochastic modeling of chaotic fluid mixing. We closely approach a two-fold convergence of the mean two-phase flow: convergence of the numerical solution under computational mesh refinement, and statistical convergence under increasing ensemble size. Quantities that appear in the two-phase averaged Euler equations are computed directly and analyzed for numerical and statistical convergence. Bulk averages show a high degree of convergence, while interfacial averages are convergent only in the outer portions of the mixing zone, where there is a coherent array of bubble and spike tips. Comparison with the familiar bubble/spike penetration law h = alphaAgt 2 is complicated by the lack of scale invariance, inability to carry the simulations to late time, the increasing Mach numbers of the bubble/spike tips, and sensitivity to the method of data analysis. Finally, we use the simulation data to analyze some constitutive properties of the mixing process.

On the nonlinear stability of the unsteady, viscous flow of an incompressible fluid in a curved pipe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shortis, Trudi A.; Hall, Philip

1995-01-01

The stability of the flow of an incompressible, viscous fluid through a pipe of circular cross-section curved about a central axis is investigated in a weakly nonlinear regime. A sinusoidal pressure gradient with zero mean is imposed, acting along the pipe. A WKBJ perturbation solution is constructed, taking into account the need for an inner solution in the vicinity of the outer bend, which is obtained by identifying the saddle point of the Taylor number in the complex plane of the cross-sectional angle co-ordinate. The equation governing the nonlinear evolution of the leading order vortex amplitude is thus determined. The stability analysis of this flow to periodic disturbances leads to a partial differential system dependent on three variables, and since the differential operators in this system are periodic in time, Floquet theory may be applied to reduce this system to a coupled infinite system of ordinary differential equations, together with homogeneous uncoupled boundary conditions. The eigenvalues of this system are calculated numerically to predict a critical Taylor number consistent with the analysis of Papageorgiou. A discussion of how nonlinear effects alter the linear stability analysis is also given, and the nature of the instability determined.

Ultrafast terahertz spectroscopy study of a Kondo insulating thin-film Sm B6 : Evidence for an emergent surface state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jingdi; Yong, Jie; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Greene, Richard L.; Averitt, Richard D.

2018-04-01

We utilize terahertz time domain spectroscopy to investigate thin films of the heavy fermion compound Sm B6 , a prototype Kondo insulator. Temperature-dependent terahertz (THz) conductivity measurements reveal a rapid decrease in the Drude weight and carrier scattering rate at ˜T*=20 K , well below the hybridization gap onset temperature (100 K). Moreover, a low-temperature conductivity plateau (below 20 K) suggests the emergence of a surface state with an effective electron mass of 0.1 me . The conductivity dynamics following optical excitation is also measured and interpreted using Rothwarf-Taylor (R-T) phenomenology, yielding a hybridization gap energy of 17 meV. However, R-T modeling of the conductivity dynamics reveals a deviation from the expected thermally excited quasiparticle density at temperatures below 20 K, indicative of another channel opening up in the low-energy electrodynamics. Taken together, these results are consistent with the onset of a surface state well below the crossover temperature (100 K) after long-range coherence of the f -electron Kondo lattice is established.

Pattern Formation in Complex Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelley, Michael

2000-03-01

Classical fluid instabilities -- such as the Saffman-Taylor instability in a Hele-Shaw cell -- are dramatically modified by using complex fluids. For example, polymeric liquids driven in a Hele-Shaw cell yield "dendritic" patterns with an apparent directional anisotropy. The dynamics of complex liquids can also lead to new instabilities and patterns, such as space-filling patterns formed by successive bucklings of growing "elastica" seen in the phase transition of a liquid crystalline material. Understanding such problems requires an interplay between physical modeling, mathematical analysis, and sophisticated nonlinear simulation. For the first problem, I will discuss a non-Newtonian version of Darcy's law for Hele-Shaw flow. This yields a free-boundary problem for the pattern formation, and requires the solution of a nonlinear elliptic equation in a time-dependent domain. This is pushing the development of adaptive grid methods that represent the geometry accurately and efficiently. Our simulations yield insight into how shear-thinning, as is evinced by polymeric liquids, can produce patterns reminiscent of experiment, with "dendritic fingers", side-branching, and reduced tip-splitting. In the second problem, a long filament in a smectic-A phase grows within an isotropic fluid. The splay deformation of the material gives this filament an elastic response. The macroscopic model describes the dynamics of a growing, elastic filament immersed in a Stokesian fluid. The model marries filament elasticity and tensile forces with a numerically tractable nonlocal slender-body theory. Analysis shows that growth of the filament, despite fluid drag, produces a buckling instability. When coupled to a nonlocal hydrodynamic self-interaction, our fully nonlinear simulations show that such instabilities iterate along the filament, and give "space-filling" patterns.

Operations Events Census Report: Volume IV. 1981 through 1985. Sanitized Version.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-01

TAYLOR , ALLEN D. 0962 TAYLOR ...CLIFFORD 0640 TAYLOR , JIMMIE L. 0935 TAYLOR , JOHN W. 0935 TAYLOR , MAX W. V TAYLOR , MICHAEL L. 0935 TAYLOR , PETER J. 0935 TAYLOR , REEDE L., JR. 0874 TAYLOR ...RODNEY M. 0916 TALPIS, NATHAN ALEX 0688 TANGE, LEIGH H. 0930 TASCA, DANTE M. 0637 TATE, JAMES B., JR. 0890 TAYLOR , ALLEN D. 0962 TAYLOR , CHARLES

Oceanic transform faults: how and why do they form? (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerya, T.

2013-12-01

Oceanic transform faults at mid-ocean ridges are often considered to be the direct product of plate breakup process (cf. review by Gerya, 2012). In contrast, recent 3D thermomechanical numerical models suggest that transform faults are plate growth structures, which develop gradually on a timescale of few millions years (Gerya, 2010, 2013a,b). Four subsequent stages are predicted for the transition from rifting to spreading (Gerya, 2013b): (1) crustal rifting, (2) multiple spreading centers nucleation and propagation, (3) proto-transform faults initiation and rotation and (4) mature ridge-transform spreading. Geometry of the mature ridge-transform system is governed by geometrical requirements for simultaneous accretion and displacement of new plate material within two offset spreading centers connected by a sustaining rheologically weak transform fault. According to these requirements, the characteristic spreading-parallel orientation of oceanic transform faults is the only thermomechanically consistent steady state orientation. Comparison of modeling results with the Woodlark Basin suggests that the development of this incipient spreading region (Taylor et al., 2009) closely matches numerical predictions (Gerya, 2013b). Model reproduces well characteristic 'rounded' contours of the spreading centers as well as the presence of a remnant of the broken continental crustal bridge observed in the Woodlark basin. Similarly to the model, the Moresby (proto)transform terminates in the oceanic rather than in the continental crust. Transform margins and truncated tip of one spreading center present in the model are documented in nature. In addition, numerical experiments suggest that transform faults can develop gradually at mature linear mid-ocean ridges as the result of dynamical instability (Gerya, 2010). Boundary instability from asymmetric plate growth can spontaneously start in alternate directions along successive ridge sections; the resultant curved ridges become transform faults. Offsets along the transform faults change continuously with time by asymmetric plate growth and discontinuously by ridge jumps. The ridge instability is governed by rheological weakening of active fault structures. The instability is most efficient for slow to intermediate spreading rates, whereas ultraslow and (ultra)fast spreading rates tend to destabilize transform faults (Gerya, 2010; Püthe and Gerya, 2013) References Gerya, T. (2010) Dynamical instability produces transform faults at mid-ocean ridges. Science, 329, 1047-1050. Gerya, T. (2012) Origin and models of oceanic transform faults. Tectonophys., 522-523, 34-56 Gerya, T.V. (2013a) Three-dimensional thermomechanical modeling of oceanic spreading initiation and evolution. Phys. Earth Planet. Interiors, 214, 35-52. Gerya, T.V. (2013b) Initiation of transform faults at rifted continental margins: 3D petrological-thermomechanical modeling and comparison to the Woodlark Basin. Petrology, 21, 1-10. Püthe, C., Gerya, T.V. (2013) Dependence of mid-ocean ridge morphology on spreading rate in numerical 3-D models. Gondwana Res., DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2013.04.005 Taylor, B., Goodliffe, A., Martinez, F. (2009) Initiation of transform faults at rifted continental margins. Comptes Rendus Geosci., 341, 428-438.

Bridgman Growth of Germanium Crystals in a Rotating Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Szofran, F. R.; Cobb, S. D.; Schweizer, M.; Walker, J. S.

2005-01-01

A series of (100)-oriented gallium-doped germanium crystals has been grown by the vertical Bridgman method and under the influence of a rotating magnetic field (RMF). Time-dependent flow instabilities occur when the critical magnetic Taylor number (Tm(sup c)) is exceeded, and this can be observed by noting the appearance of striations in the grown crystals. Tm(sup c) decreases as the aspect ratio of the melt increases, and approaches the theoretical limit expected for an infinite cylinder. Intentional interface demarcations are introduced by pulsing the RMF on and off The RMF has a marked affect on the interface shape, changing it from concave to nearly flat as the RMF strength is increased.

Formation of microbeads during vapor explosions of Field's metal in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouraytem, N.; Li, E. Q.; Thoroddsen, S. T.

2016-06-01

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.

Convolute laminations — a theoretical analysis: example of a Pennsylvanian sandstone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visher, Glenn S.; Cunningham, Russ D.

1981-03-01

Data from an outcropping laminated interval were collected and analyzed to test the applicability of a theoretical model describing instability of layered systems. Rayleigh—Taylor wave perturbations result at the interface between fluids of contrasting density, viscosity, and thickness. In the special case where reverse density and viscosity interlaminations are developed, the deformation response produces a single wave with predictable amplitudes, wavelengths, and amplification rates. Physical measurements from both the outcropping section and modern sediments suggest the usefulness of the model for the interpretation of convolute laminations. Internal characteristics of the stratigraphic interval, and the developmental sequence of convoluted beds, are used to document the developmental history of these structures.

Stability of Capillary Surfaces in Rectangular Containers: The Right Square Cylinder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weislogel, M. M.; Hsieh, K. C.

1998-01-01

The linearized governing equations for an ideal fluid are presented for numerical analysis for the stability of free capillary surfaces in rectangular containers against unfavorable disturbances (accelerations,i.e. Rayleigh-Taylor instability). The equations are solved for the case of the right square cylinder. The results are expressed graphically in term of a critical Bond number as a function of system contact angle. A critical wetting phenomena in the corners is shown to significantly alter the region of stability for such containers in contrast to simpler geometries such as the right circular cylinder or the infinite rectangular slot. Such computational results provide additional constraints for the design of fluids systems for space-based applications.

Positional stability as the light emission limit in sonoluminescence with sulfuric acid.

PubMed

Urteaga, Raúl; Dellavale, Damián H; Puente, Gabriela F; Bonetto, Fabián J

2007-11-01

We studied a single bubble sonoluminescence system consisting of an argon bubble in a sulfuric acid aq. solution. We experimentally determined the relevant variables of the system. We also measured the bubble position, extent of the bubble orbits, and light intensity as a function of acoustic pressure for different argon concentrations. We find that the Bjerknes force is responsible for the bubble mean position and this imposes a limitation in the maximum acoustic pressure that can be applied to the bubble. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability does not play a role in this system and, at a given gas concentration, the SL intensity depends more on the bubble time of collapse than any other investigated parameter.

Instability of displacement of Oldroyd-B fluid by air in a Hele-Shaw cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daripa, Prabir

2014-03-01

We study the displacement of an Oldroyd-B fluid in a Hele-Shaw cell when driven by air. In particular, we explicitly obtain an analytical expression for the growth rate of instability which depends on the relaxation and retardation (time) constants, denoted by λ, and λ1 respectively, appearing in the Oldroyd-B constitutive relations. When these two constants are zero, we recover the classical Saffman-Taylor result for a Newtonian liquid displaced by air. Our results show that this displacement process is more unstable than the case when a Newtonian fluid is displaced by air. The analytical results are plotted and compared with numerical results on this unstable displacement process available in the literature. The agreement is found to be excellent. In particular, results show that the non-Newtonian case (i.e., Oldroyd-B) is more unstable than the Newtonian case. Supported by an NPRP Grant # 08-777-1-141 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of the Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the author.

The Vetter-Sturtevant Shock Tube Problem in KULL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulitsky, M S

2005-10-06

The goal of the EZturb mix model in KULL is to predict the turbulent mixing process as it evolves from Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, or Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. In this report we focus on an example of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (which occurs when a shock hits an interface between fluids of different densities) with the additional complication of reshock. The experiment by Vetter & Sturtevant (VS) [1], involving a Mach 1.50 incident shock striking an air/SF{sub 6} interface, is a good one to model, now that we understand how the model performs for the Benjamin shock tube [2] and a prototypical incompressible Rayleigh-Taylormore » problem [3]. The x-t diagram for the VS shock tube is quite complicated, since the transmitted shock hits the far wall at {approx}2 millisec, reshocks the mixing zone slightly after 3 millisec (which sets up a release wave that hits the wall at {approx}4 millisec), and then the interface is hit with this expansion wave around 5 millisec. Needless to say, this problem is much more difficult to model than the Bejamin shock tube.« less

Physical and geotechnical properties and assessment of sediment stability on the continental slope and basin of the Bransfield Basin (Antarctica Peninsula)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Casas, D.; Ercilla, G.; Estrada, F.; Alonso, B.; Baraza, J.; Lee, H.; Kayen, R.; Chiocci, F.

2004-01-01

Our investigation is centred on the continental slope of the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent basin. Type of sediments, sedimentary stratigraphy, and physical and geotechnical characterization of the sediments have been integrated. Four different types of sediments have been defined: diamictons, silty and muddy turbidites, muddy, silty and muddy matrix embedded clast contourites. There is a close correspondence between the physical properties (density, magnetic susceptibility and p-wave velocity) and the texture and/or fabric as laminations and stratification. From a quantitative point of view, only a few statistical correlations between textural and physical properties have been found. Within the geotechnical properties, only water content is most influenced by texture. This slope, with a maximum gradient observed (20??), is stable, according to the stability under gravitational loading concepts, and the maximum stable slope that would range from 22?? to 29??. Nevertheless, different instability features have been observed. Volcanic activity, bottom currents, glacial loading-unloading or earthquakes can be considered as potential mechanisms to induce instability in this area. Copyright ?? Taylor & Francis Inc.

Meniscus Stability in Rotating Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichel, Yvonne; Dreyer, Michael

2013-11-01

In this study, the stability of free surfaces of fluid between two rotating coaxial, circular disks is examined. Radially mounted baffles are used to form menisci of equal size. To the center of the upper disk, a tube is connected in which a separate meniscus is formed. Assuming solid-body rotation and ignoring dynamic effects, it is observed that the free surfaces between the disks fail to remain stable once the rotation speed exceeds a critical value. In other words, Rayleigh-Taylor instability ensues when the capillary forces fail to balance centrifugal forces. Dimensionless critical rotation speeds are studied by means of the Surface Evolver via SE-FIT for varied number of baffles, the normalized distance between the disks, and the normalized central tube radius. Drop tower tests are performed to confirm some of the numerical results. The computation also reveals that there are different modes of instability as a function of the relevant parameters. This study was funded by the space agency of the German Aerospace Center with resources of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag under grant number 50 RL 1320.

Hydrodynamic instabilities and mix studies on NIF: predictions, observations, and a path forward

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Remington, B. A.; Atherton, L. J.; Benedetti, L. R.

The goals of the Mix Campaign are to determine how mix affects performance, locate the "mix cliff", locate the source of the mix, and develop mitigation methods that allow performance to be increased. We have used several different drive pulse shapes and capsule designs in the Mix Campaign, to understand sensitivity to drive peak power, level of coast, rise time to peak power, adiabat, and dopant level in the capsule. Ablator material mixing into the hot spot has been shown conclusively with x-ray spectroscopy. The observed neutron yield drops steeply when the hot spot mix mass becomes too large. Themore » mix appears to be driven by ablation- front Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. A high foot, higher adiabat drive has a more stable ablation front and has allowed the mix mass in the hot spot to be reduced significantly. We found two recent high foot shots achieved neutron yields > 10 15 and measured neutron yield over clean 1D simulation (YOC) > 50%, which was one of the central goals of the Mix Campaign.« less

Hydrodynamic instabilities and mix studies on NIF: predictions, observations, and a path forward

DOE PAGES

Remington, B. A.; Atherton, L. J.; Benedetti, L. R.; ...

2016-04-01

The goals of the Mix Campaign are to determine how mix affects performance, locate the "mix cliff", locate the source of the mix, and develop mitigation methods that allow performance to be increased. We have used several different drive pulse shapes and capsule designs in the Mix Campaign, to understand sensitivity to drive peak power, level of coast, rise time to peak power, adiabat, and dopant level in the capsule. Ablator material mixing into the hot spot has been shown conclusively with x-ray spectroscopy. The observed neutron yield drops steeply when the hot spot mix mass becomes too large. Themore » mix appears to be driven by ablation- front Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. A high foot, higher adiabat drive has a more stable ablation front and has allowed the mix mass in the hot spot to be reduced significantly. We found two recent high foot shots achieved neutron yields > 10 15 and measured neutron yield over clean 1D simulation (YOC) > 50%, which was one of the central goals of the Mix Campaign.« less

Measurements of the Diameter and Velocity Distributions of Atomized Tablet-Coating Solutions for Pharmaceutical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osterday, Kathryn; Aliseda, Alberto; Lasheras, Juan

2009-11-01

The atomization of colloidal suspensions is of particular interest to the manufacturing of tablets and pills used as drug delivery systems by the pharmaceutical industry. At various stages in the manufacturing process, the tablets are coated with a spray of droplets produced by co-axial atomizers. The mechanisms of droplet size and spray formation in these types of atomizers are dominated by Kelvin-Helmholtz and Raleigh-Taylor instabilities for both low[1] and high[2] Ohnesorge numbers. We present detailed phase Doppler measurements of the Sauter Mean Diameter of the droplets produced by co-axial spray atomizers using water-based colloidal suspensions with solid concentrations ranging from fifteen to twenty percent and acetone-based colloidal suspensions with solid concentrations ranging from five to ten percent. Our results compare favorably with predictions by Aliseda's model. This suggests that the final size distribution is mainly determined by the instabilities caused by the sudden acceleration of the liquid interface. [1]Varga, C. M., et al. (2003) J. Fluid Mech. 497:405-434 [2]Aliseda, A. et al. (2008). J. Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 34(2), 161-175.

Complex astrophysical experiments relating to jets, solar loops, and water ice dusty plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellan, P. M.; Zhai, X.; Chai, K. B.; Ha, B. N.

2015-10-01

> Recent results of three astrophysically relevant experiments at Caltech are summarized. In the first experiment magnetohydrodynamically driven plasma jets simulate astrophysical jets that undergo a kink instability. Lateral acceleration of the kinking jet spawns a Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which in turn spawns a magnetic reconnection. Particle heating and a burst of waves are observed in association with the reconnection. The second experiment uses a slightly different setup to produce an expanding arched plasma loop which is similar to a solar corona loop. It is shown that the plasma in this loop results from jets originating from the electrodes. The possibility of a transition from slow to fast expansion as a result of the expanding loop breaking free of an externally imposed strapping magnetic field is investigated. The third and completely different experiment creates a weakly ionized plasma with liquid nitrogen cooled electrodes. Water vapour injected into this plasma forms water ice grains that in general are ellipsoidal and not spheroidal. The water ice grains can become quite long (up to several hundred microns) and self-organize so that they are evenly spaced and vertically aligned.

Formation and evolution of magnetised filaments in wind-swept turbulent clumps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-08-01

Using high-resolution three-dimensional simulations, we examine the formation and evolution of filamentary structures arising from magnetohydrodynamic interactions between supersonic winds and turbulent clumps in the interstellar medium. Previous numerical studies assumed homogenous density profiles, null velocity fields, and uniformly distributed magnetic fields as the initial conditions for interstellar clumps. Here, we have, for the first time, incorporated fractal clumps with log-normal density distributions, random velocity fields and turbulent magnetic fields (superimposed on top of a uniform background field). Disruptive processes, instigated by dynamical instabilities and akin to those observed in simulations with uniform media, lead to stripping of clump material and the subsequent formation of filamentary tails. The evolution of filaments in uniform and turbulent models is, however, radically different as evidenced by comparisons of global quantities in both scenarios. We show, for example, that turbulent clumps produce tails with higher velocity dispersions, increased gas mixing, greater kinetic energy, and lower plasma beta than their uniform counterparts. We attribute the observed differences to: 1) the turbulence-driven enhanced growth of dynamical instabilities (e.g. Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities) at fluid interfaces, and 2) the localised amplification of magnetic fields caused by the stretching of field lines trapped in the numerous surface deformations of fractal clumps. We briefly discuss the implications of this work to the physics of the optical filaments observed in the starburst galaxy M82.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wanhai; Yu, Changping; Li, Xinliang

2014-11-01

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 (r0) 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 r0/λ (with λ perturbation wavelength) is, the larger the NSA of the fundamental mode is. When r0/λ is large enough ( r0≫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 r0 can reduce the NSA of the second harmonic for arbitrary A at r0≲ 2 λ while increase it for A ≲ 0.6 at r0≳ 2 λ . Thus, it should be included in applications where the NSA has a role, such as inertial confinement fusion ignition target design.

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

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Wanhai; LHD, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190; Yu, Changping

2014-11-15

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 radiusmore » of the interface (r{sub 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{sub 0}/λ (with λ perturbation wavelength) is, the larger the NSA of the fundamental mode is. When r{sub 0}/λ is large enough (r{sub 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{sub 0} can reduce the NSA of the second harmonic for arbitrary A at r{sub 0}≲2λ while increase it for A ≲ 0.6 at r{sub 0}≳2λ. Thus, it should be included in applications where the NSA has a role, such as inertial confinement fusion ignition target design.« less

Two-Relaxation-Time Lattice Boltzmann Method for Advective-Diffusive-Reactive Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Z.; Hilpert, M.

2016-12-01

The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been applied to study a wide range of reactive transport in porous and fractured media. The single-relaxation-time (SRT) LBM, employing single relaxation time, is the most popular LBM due to its simplicity of understanding and implementation. Nevertheless, the SRT LBM may suffer from numerical instability for small value of the relaxation time. By contrast, the multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) LBM, employing multiple relaxation times, can improve the numerical stability through tuning the multiple relaxation times, but the complexity of implementing this method restricts its applications. The two-relaxation-time (TRT) LBM, which employs two relaxation times, combines the advantages of SRT and MRT LBMs. The TRT LBM can produce simulations with better accuracy and stability than the SRT one, and is easier to implement than the MRT one. This work evaluated the numerical accuracy and stability of the TRT method by comparing the simulation results with analytical solutions of Gaussian hill transport and Taylor dispersion under different advective velocities. The accuracy generally increased with the tunable relaxation time τ, and the stability first increased and then decreased as τ increased, showing an optimal TRT method emerging the best numerical stability. The free selection of τ enabled the TRT LBM to simulate the Gaussian hill transport and Taylor dispersion under relatively high advective velocity, under which the SRT LBM suffered from numerical instability. Finally, the TRT method was applied to study the contaminant degradation by chemotactic microorganisms in porous media, which acted as a reprehensive of reactive transport in this study, and well predicted the evolution of microorganisms and degradation of contaminants for different transport scenarios. To sum up, the TRT LBM produced simulation results with good accuracy and stability for various advective-diffusive-reactive transport through tuning the relaxation time τ, illustrating its potential to study various biogeochemical behaviors in the subsurface environment.

The Metal Oxide Space Clouds (MOSC) Experiment: High Frequency (HF) Signatures and Interactions with the Ambient Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groves, K. M.; Caton, R. G.; Pedersen, T. R.; Parris, R. T.; Su, Y.; Cannon, P. S.; Jackson-booth, N. K.; Angling, M. J.; Retterer, J. M.

2013-12-01

With support from the NASA sounding rocket team, AFRL performed two separate 5 kg releases of samarium metal vapor in the lower F-region near Kwajalein Atoll in May 2013. A fraction of the samarium subsequently ionized forming a plasma cloud that persisted for tens of minutes to hours in the post-sunset period. Numerous sensors were used to characterize the clouds including the ALTAIR incoherent scatter radar, multiple GPS and optical instruments, satellite radio beacons, and a dedicated network of high frequency (HF) radio links. The primary objectives of the experiments were to understand the dynamics, evolution and chemistry of Sm atoms in the earth's upper atmosphere. Sm is predicted to both photo-ionize and chemi-ionize through charge exchange with neutral oxygen (O). Ionization rates and loss reactions are not well known. A secondary objective was to understand the interaction of an artificial plasma cloud with the low latitude ionosphere during the pre-reversal enhancement period leading up to the post-sunset development of large-scale Rayleigh-Taylor instability. It was initially hoped that the introduction of the artificial plasma might be sufficient to quench the development of the instability by maintaining high conductivity within the affected flux tubes. Modeling results showed that this result was unlikely due to the relatively small amount of material being released. However, it appeared possible that the presence of SmO+ near the bottomside of the F-region might be capable of reducing the formation of short-scale irregularities within the larger Rayleigh-Taylor 'bubbles'. Indeed, preliminary results indicate that the artificial layers, positioned at 170 and 180 km respectively, did interact with the overlying F region and in at least one case, cause a decrease in the short-scale component of the natural irregularity spectrum. The results suggest that it may be possible to mitigate the formation of low-latitude irregularities responsible for radio wave scintillation with a MOSC-based approach.

Viscous effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability with background temperature gradient

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerashchenko, S.; Livescu, D., E-mail: livescu@lanl.gov

The growth rate of the compressible Rayleigh-Taylor instability is studied in the presence of a background temperature gradient, Θ, using a normal mode analysis. The effect of Θ variation is examined for three interface types corresponding to the combinations of the viscous properties of the fluids (inviscid-inviscid, viscous-viscous, and viscous-inviscid) at different Atwood numbers, At, and when at least one of the fluids' viscosity is non-zero, as a function of the Grashof number. For the general case, the resulting ordinary differential equations are solved numerically; however, dispersion relations for the growth rate are presented for several limiting cases. An analyticalmore » solution is found for the inviscid-inviscid interface and the corresponding dispersion equation for the growth rate is obtained in the limit of large Θ. For the viscous-inviscid case, a dispersion relation is derived in the incompressible limit and Θ = 0. Compared to Θ = 0 case, the role of Θ < 0 (hotter light fluid) is destabilizing and becomes stabilizing when Θ > 0 (colder light fluid). The most pronounced effect of Θ ≠ 0 is found at low At and/or at large perturbation wavelengths relative to the domain size for all interface types. On the other hand, at small perturbation wavelengths relative to the domain size, the growth rate for the Θ < 0 case exceeds the infinite domain incompressible constant density result. The results are applied to two practical examples, using sets of parameters relevant to Inertial Confinement Fusion coasting stage and solar corona plumes. The role of viscosity on the growth rate reduction is discussed together with highlighting the range of wavenumbers most affected by viscosity. The viscous effects further increase in the presence of background temperature gradient, when the viscosity is temperature dependent.« less

Dynamics of Magnetized Plasma Jets and Bubbles Launched into a Background Magnetized Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, B.; Zhang, Y.; Fisher, D. M.; Gilmore, M.

2016-10-01

The propagation of dense magnetized plasma, either collimated with mainly azimuthal B-field (jet) or toroidal with closed B-field (bubble), in a background plasma occurs in a number of solar and astrophysical cases. Such cases include coronal mass ejections moving in the background solar wind and extragalactic radio lobes expanding into the extragalactic medium. Understanding the detailed MHD behavior is crucial for correctly modeling these events. In order to further the understanding of such systems, we are investigating the injection of dense magnetized jets and bubbles into a lower density background magnetized plasma using a coaxial plasma gun and a background helicon or cathode plasma. In both jet and bubble cases, the MHD dynamics are found to be very different when launched into background plasma or magnetic field, as compared to vacuum. In the jet case, it is found that the inherent kink instability is stabilized by velocity shear developed due to added magnetic tension from the background field. In the bubble case, rather than directly relaxing to a minimum energy Taylor state (spheromak) as in vacuum, there is an expansion asymmetry and the bubble becomes Rayleigh-Taylor unstable on one side. Recent results will be presented. Work supported by the Army Research Office Award No. W911NF1510480.

Insights into the Mechanism of Severe Mitral Regurgitation: RT-3D TEE Guided Management with Pathological Correlation.

PubMed

Anand, Senthil; Hamoud, Naktal; Thompson, Jess; Janardhanan, Rajesh

2015-01-01

Mitral valve perforation is an uncommon but important complication of infective endocarditis. We report a case of a 65-year-old man who was diagnosed to have infective endocarditis of his mitral valve. Through the course of his admission he had a rapid development of hemodynamic instability and pulmonary edema secondary to acutely worsening mitral regurgitation. While the TEE demonstrated an increase in the size of his bacterial vegetation, Real Time 3D TEE was ultimately the imaging modality through which the valve perforation was identified. Through this case report we discuss the advantages that RT-3D TEE has over traditional 2D TEE in the management of valve perforation.

Fundamentals of Plasma Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellan, Paul M.

2008-07-01

Preface; 1. Basic concepts; 2. The Vlasov, two-fluid, and MHD models of plasma dynamics; 3. Motion of a single plasma particle; 4. Elementary plasma waves; 5. Streaming instabilities and the Landau problem; 6. Cold plasma waves in a magnetized plasma; 7. Waves in inhomogeneous plasmas and wave energy relations; 8. Vlasov theory of warm electrostatic waves in a magnetized plasma; 9. MHD equilibria; 10. Stability of static MHD equilibria; 11. Magnetic helicity interpreted and Woltjer-Taylor relaxation; 12. Magnetic reconnection; 13. Fokker-Planck theory of collisions; 14. Wave-particle nonlinearities; 15. Wave-wave nonlinearities; 16. Non-neutral plasmas; 17. Dusty plasmas; Appendix A. Intuitive method for vector calculus identities; Appendix B. Vector calculus in orthogonal curvilinear coordinates; Appendix C. Frequently used physical constants and formulae; Bibliography; References; Index.

Dynamics of Structures in Configuration Space and Phase Space: An Introductory Tutorial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diamond, P. H.; Kosuga, Y.; Lesur, M.

2015-12-01

Some basic ideas relevant to the dynamics of phase space and real space structures are presented in a pedagogical fashion. We focus on three paradigmatic examples, namely; G. I. Taylor's structure based re-formulation of Rayleigh's stability criterion and its implications for zonal flow momentum balance relations; Dupree's mechanism for nonlinear current driven ion acoustic instability and its implication for anomalous resistivity; and the dynamics of structures in drift and gyrokinetic turbulence and their relation to zonal flow physics. We briefly survey the extension of mean field theory to calculate evolution in the presence of localized structures for regimes where Kubo number K ≃ 1 rather than K ≪ 1, as is usual for quasilinear theory.

Pulsating jet-like structures in magnetized plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goncharov, V. P.; Pavlov, V. I.

The formation of pulsating jet-like structures has been studied in the scope of the nonhydrostatic model of a magnetized plasma with horizontally nonuniform density. We discuss two mechanisms which are capable of stopping the gravitational spreading appearing to grace the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and to lead to the formation of stationary or oscillating localized structures. One of them is caused by the Coriolis effect in the rotating frames, and another is connected with the Lorentz effect for magnetized fluids. Magnetized jets/drops with a positive buoyancy must oscillate in transversal size and can manifest themselves as “radio pulsars.” The estimates of theirmore » frequencies are made for conditions typical for the neutron star's ocean.« less

Nonlinear electrohydrodynamics of a viscous droplet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salipante, Paul; Vlahovska, Petia

2012-02-01

A classic result due to G.I.Taylor is that a drop placed in a uniform electric field adopts a prolate or oblate spheroidal shape, the flow and shape being axisymmetrically aligned with the applied field. We report an instability and transition to a nonaxisymmetric rotational flow in strong fields, similar to the rotation of solid dielectric spheres observed by Quincke in the 19th century. Our experiments reveal novel droplet behaviors such as tumbling, oscillations and chaotic dynamics even under creeping flow conditions. A phase diagram demonstrates the dependence of these behaviors on drop size, viscosity ratio and electric field strength. The theoretical model, which includes anisotropy in the polarization relaxation, elucidates the interplay of interface deformation and charging as the source of the rich nonlinear dynamics.

The effect of vertical drift on the equatorial F-region stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, W. B.; Cragin, B. L.; Dennis, A.

1986-01-01

Time-dependent ionospheric model calculations for day-time and night-time solutions are presented. The behavior of the growth rate and ion-electron recombination rate for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability on the F-region bottomside is examined as a function of the vertical eastward electric field-magnetic field strength drift velocity. It is observed that on the bottomside F-layer the growth rate exceeds the ion-electron recombination rate even without vertical drift; however, an eastward electric field-magnetic field strength drift can produce an increase in the growth rate by an order of magnitude. The calculated data are compared with previous research and good correlation is detected. The formation of bubbles from a seeding mechanism is investigated.

Impeding hohlraum plasma stagnation in inertial-confinement fusion.

PubMed

Li, C K; Séguin, F H; Frenje, J A; Rosenberg, M J; Rinderknecht, H G; Zylstra, A B; Petrasso, R D; Amendt, P A; Landen, O L; Mackinnon, A J; Town, R P J; Wilks, S C; Betti, R; Meyerhofer, D D; Soures, J M; Hund, J; Kilkenny, J D; Nikroo, A

2012-01-13

This Letter reports the first time-gated proton radiography of the spatial structure and temporal evolution of how the fill gas compresses the wall blowoff, inhibits plasma jet formation, and impedes plasma stagnation in the hohlraum interior. The potential roles of spontaneously generated electric and magnetic fields in the hohlraum dynamics and capsule implosion are discussed. It is shown that interpenetration of the two materials could result from the classical Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurring as the lighter, decelerating ionized fill gas pushes against the heavier, expanding gold wall blowoff. This experiment showed new observations of the effects of the fill gas on x-ray driven implosions, and an improved understanding of these results could impact the ongoing ignition experiments at the National Ignition Facility.

LLE review, volume 73. Quarterly report, October 1997--December 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-04-01

This progress report contains discussion on the following topics: A high-bandwidth electrical-waveform generator based on aperture-coupled striplines for OMEGA pulse-shaping applications; sweep deflection circuit development using computer-aided circuit design for the OMEGA multichannel streak camera; D-{sup 3}He protons as a diagnostic for target {rho}R; growth rates of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability in inertial confinement fusion; three-dimensional analysis of the power transfer between crossed laser beams; characterization of freestanding polymer films for application in 351-nm, high-peak-power laser systems; subsurface damage in microgrinding optical glasses; bound-abrasive polishers for optical glass; and color gamut of cholesteric liquid crystal films and flakes by standardmore » colorimetry.« less