Theory and Simulation of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in the Limit of Large Larmor Radius

Abstract

The theory and first nonlinear simulations of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the limit of large ion Larmor radius are presented. It is shown that in the limit of large Larmor radius, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability evolves much faster and in a dramatically different manner than in the limit of small Larmor radius.