Linear Theory of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability at the Interface between Two Compressible Media.

Abstract

Linear eigenfrequencies are calculated for infinitesimal perturbations of the systems consisting of two semi-infinite regions, each filled with a constant-temperature ideal polytrope stratified exponentially against gravity. The linear growth rate for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability which occurs when the density above the interface exceeds that below it is shown in the model to vary linearly with the wavenumber k as k yields 0. The incompressible fluid result is obtained when the adiabatic index (gamma yields infinity (i.e., compressible fluids), the growth rates are in general larger than in the incompressible case. Numerical results and limiting cases are described which illustrate this conclusion. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 09, 1982
Accession Number
ADA119248

Entities

People

  • D. L. Book
  • I. B. Bernstein

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Buildings And Structures
  • Continuous Spectra
  • Flow Fields
  • Instability
  • Materials
  • Military Research
  • Perturbations
  • Rayleigh Taylor Instability
  • Spectra
  • Square Roots
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Mathematics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Fluid Dynamics.