Nonlinear theory of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability.
A fully nonlinear sharp-boundary model of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability is derived and closed in a similar way to the self-consistent closure of the linear theory. It contains the stabilizing effect of ablation and accurately reproduces the results of 2D DRACO simulations. The single-mode saturation amplitude, bubble and spike evolutions in the nonlinear regimes, and the seeding of long-wavelength modes via mode coupling are determined and compared with the classical theory without ablation. Nonlinear stability above the linear cutoff is also predicted.
Sanz
J
J
E.T.S.I. Aeronáuticos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain.
Ramírez
J
J
Ramis
R
R
Betti
R
R
Town
R P J
RP