Assembling Stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability by the Effects of Finite Larmor Radius and Sheared Axial Flow

Abstract

The assembling stabilizing effect of the finite Larmor radius (FLR) and the sheared axial flow (SAF) on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in Z-pinch implosions is studied by means of the incompressible finite Larmor radius magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The finite Larmor radius effects are introduced in the momentum equation with the sheared axial flow through an anisotropic ion stress tensor. In this paper a linear mode equation is derived that is valid for arbitrary kL, where k is the wave number and L is the plasma shell thickness. Numerical solutions are presented. The results indicate that the short-wavelength modes of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability are easily stabilized by the individual effect of the finite Larmor radius or the sheared axial flow. The assembling effects of the finite Larmor radius and sheared axial flow can heavily mitigate the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, and the unstable region can be compressed considerably.