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Nonlinear theory of the collisional Rayleigh‐Taylor instability in equatorial spread F
Author(s) -
Chaturvedi P. K.,
Ossakow S. L.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl004i012p00558
Subject(s) - rayleigh–taylor instability , instability , physics , nonlinear system , harmonics , richtmyer–meshkov instability , rayleigh scattering , spectral density , quantum electrodynamics , mechanics , classical mechanics , statistical physics , quantum mechanics , mathematics , statistics , voltage
The nonlinear behavior of the collisional Rayleigh‐Taylor instability is studied in equatorial Spread F by including a dominant two‐dimensional nonlinearity. It is found that on account of this nonlinearity the instability saturates by generating damped higher spatial harmonics. The saturated power spectrum for the density fluctuations is discussed. A comparison between experimental observations and theory is presented.