Small Atwood number Rayleigh–Taylor experiments

Abstract

Consideration is given to small Atwood number (non-dimensional density difference) experiments to investigate mixing driven by Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability. The past 20 years have seen the development of novel experiments to investigate R-T mixing and, simultaneously, the advent of high-fidelity diagnostics. Indeed, the developments of experiments and diagnostics have gone hand in hand, and as a result modern R-T experiments rival the capabilities and research scope of shear-driven mixing experiments. Thus, research into the small Atwood number limit has made significant progress over the past 20 years, and has offered important insights into natural mixing processes as well as the general R-T problem. This review of small Atwood number experiments serves as an opportunity to discuss progress, and also to provoke thoughts about future high Atwood number designs and difficulties.