Experimental results on hydrodynamic instabilities in laser-accelerated planar packages

Abstract

The growth, saturation, and generation of higher harmonics by the Rayleigh–Taylor instability is reviewed. Further experiments measuring the growth of Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities in laser-accelerated planar packages of Nova [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 57, 2101 (1986)] are described. The measured growth rate of the fundamental and harmonics is in good agreement with two-dimensional computer modeling with the stabilizing effect of ablation included.