Publication Date:
2016-11-04
Description:
A nominally two-dimensional interface, unstable to the Rayleigh-Taylor or Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, will become three-dimensional at high Reynolds numbers due to the growth of background noise and 3D effects like vortex stretching. This three-dimensionality changes macroscopic features, such as the perturbation growth rate and mixing, as it enhances turbulent dissipation. In this study, a 2D perturbation with small-scale, 3D fluctuations is modeled using the hydrodynamics code Miranda . A Mach 1.95 shockwave accelerates a helium-over-SF 6 interface, similar to the experiments of Motl et al. [“Experimental validation of a Richtmyer-Meshkov scaling law over large density ratio and shock strength ranges,” Phys. Fluids 21 (12), 126102 (2009)], to explore the regime where a 2D dominated flow will experience 3D effects. We report on the structure, growth, and mixing of the post-shocked interface in 2D and 3D.
Print ISSN:
1070-6631
Electronic ISSN:
1089-7666
Topics:
Physics
