Numerical Analysis and Computation Commons^™

Hydrodynamic Instability Simulations Using Front-Tracking With Higher-Order Splitting Methods, Dillon Trinh

Mathematical Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) is an instability that occurs at the interface of a lighter density fluid pushing onto a higher density fluid in constant or time-dependent accelerations. The Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability (RMI) occurs when two fluids of different densities are separated by a perturbed interface that is accelerated impulsively, usually by a shock wave. When the shock wave is applied, the less dense fluid will penetrate the denser fluid, forming a characteristic bubble feature in the displacement of the fluid. The displacement will initially obey a linear growth model, but as time progresses, a nonlinear model is required. Numerical studies …