Behavior of the Rayleigh–Taylor mode in a dusty plasma with rotational and shear flows

Abstract

The stability of a dusty plasma with sheared rotational flows is investigated. Using the fluid model together with the Bayly nonmodal approach, the inhomogeneous partial differential equations governing short-wavelength perturbations at the center of a rotational flow field or vortex structure are obtained. The effects of flow eccentricity, strength of the flow shear, as well as concentration of dust grains on the stability of the perturbations are investigated numerically. It is found that flow shear can cause secondary Rayleigh–Taylor instability of a rotational flow.