Kelvin Helmholtz Instability in Strongly Coupled Yukawa Liquids

Abstract

Using "first principles" molecular dynamics simulations Kelvin Helmholtz instability has been observed for the first time at the particle level in two-dimensional strongly coupled Yukawa liquids. At a given coupling strength Γ a subsonic shear profile is superposed on an equilibrated Yukawa liquid and instability is observed. Linear growth rates computed directly from MD simulations are seen to increase with strong coupling. Vortex-roll formation in the nonlinear regime is reported.