Rayleigh–Taylor shock waves

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Beginning from a state of hydrostatic equilibrium, in which a heavy gas rests atop a light gas in a constant gravitational field, Rayleigh–Taylor instability at the interface will launch a shock wave into the upper fluid. We have performed a series of large-eddy simulations which suggest that the rising bubbles of light fluid act like pistons, compressing the heavy fluid ahead of the fronts and generating shocklets. These shocklets coalesce in multidimensional fashion into a strong normal shock, which increases in strength as it propagates upwards. The simulations demonstrate that the shock Mach number increases faster in three dimensions than it does in two dimensions. The generation of shocks via Rayleigh–Taylor instability could play an important role in type Ia supernovae.