Current-vortex-sheet model of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the magnetic field applied parallel to the interface. The motion of the interface is described using a current-vortex-sheet model. The growth rate of the interface is obtained from a linear stability analysis of the model. The interface of a single mode k = 1 is linearly stable for R A ≤ 1 , where R A denotes the Alfvén number. Further, we conduct numerical computations for the evolution of the interface from the model for both regimes of R A ≤ 1 and R A > 1 . For R A ≤ 1 , the interface oscillates vertically but does not intrude into the opposite phase. The amplitude of the interface and the oscillation period decrease with decrease in R A . For 1 < R A ≲ 1.5 , the interface undergoes some growth at early times and then decreases. This oscillation is repeated, and no roll-ups are observed at the interface. Therefore, the nonlinear growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability is stabilized by a sufficiently strong magnetic field. For R A ≳ 3 the interface is unstable and the pattern of the interface evolution differs from the density ratio. In addition, the magnetic field is greatly amplified as R A increases. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Source: Physical review. E
Authors: Seunghyeon Baek, Sung-Ik Sohn
Institutions: Korea University, Gangneung–Wonju National University
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Award: G1149940791
OpenAlex ID: W4404061511