Astronomy:Richtmyer–Meshkov instability

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The Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) occurs when two fluids of different density are impulsively accelerated. Normally this is by the passage of a shock wave. The development of the instability begins with small amplitude perturbations which initially grow linearly with time. This is followed by a nonlinear regime with bubbles appearing in the case of a light fluid penetrating a heavy fluid, and with spikes appearing in the case of a heavy fluid penetrating a light fluid. A chaotic regime eventually is reached and the two fluids mix. This instability can be considered the impulsive-acceleration limit of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability.[1]

History

R. D. Richtmyer provided a theoretical prediction,[2] and E. E. Meshkov (Евгений Евграфович Мешков)(ru) provided experimental verification.[3] Materials in the cores of stars, like Cobalt-56 from Supernova 1987A were observed earlier than expected. This was evidence of mixing due to Richtmyer–Meshkov and Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities.[citation needed]

Examples

During the implosion of an inertial confinement fusion target, the hot shell material surrounding the cold DT fuel layer is shock-accelerated. This instability is also seen in magnetized target fusion (MTF).[4] Mixing of the shell material and fuel is not desired and efforts are made to minimize any tiny imperfections or irregularities which will be magnified by RMI.

Supersonic combustion in a scramjet may benefit from RMI as the fuel-oxidants interface is enhanced by the breakup of the fuel into finer droplets. Also in studies of deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) processes show that RMI-induced flame acceleration can result in detonation.

See also

References

  1. Zhou, Ye (September 2021). "Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov instabilities: A journey through scales". Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena 423: 132838. doi:10.1016/j.physd.2020.132838. Bibcode2021PhyD..42332838Z. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167278920308393#!. Retrieved 15 July 2022. 
  2. Richtmyer, Robert D. (1960). "Taylor Instability in a Shock Acceleration of Compressible Fluids". Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics 13 (2): 297–319. doi:10.1002/cpa.3160130207. 
  3. Meshkov, E. E (1969). "Instability of the Interface of Two Gases Accelerated by a Shock Wave". Soviet Fluid Dynamics 4 (5): 101–104. doi:10.1007/BF01015969. Bibcode1972FlDy....4..101M. 
  4. "On the collapse of a Gas Cavity by an Imploding Molten Lead Shell and Richtmyer–Meshkov Instability" Victoria Suponitsky, et al. General Fusion Inc, 2013

External links