Observation of a magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability in magnetically collimated plasma jets

  • S. Malko
  • , D. B. Schaeffer
  • , W. Yao
  • , V. Valenzuela-Villaseca
  • , C. Johnson
  • , G. Fiksel
  • , A. Ciardi
  • , W. Fox

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We present the direct experimental observation of the formation of a diamagnetic cavity and magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability in a β≈1 high energy density plasma. Proton radiography is used to measure the two dimensional path-integrated magnetic field in a laser-produced plasma propagating parallel to a preimposed magnetic field. Flutelike structures, associated with the MRT instability, are observed to grow at the surface of the cavity, with a measured wavelength of 1.2 mm and growth time of 4 ns. These measurements are in good agreement with predictions of three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations using the GORGON code.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number023330
JournalPhysical Review Research
Volume6
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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