High-Resolution Simulation and Analysis of Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability*

3D simulation of a Mach 1.45 shock and subsequent re-shock interacting with a high-Atwood number interface between sulphur hexafluoride and air is advanced to high resolution, with cell counts exceeding 4.4 billion. Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) coupled with shock-capturing is employed to better resolve regions of intense mixing and shocks while avoiding excessive resolution in less active regions. Grid convergence of many statistical quantities is demonstrated. Budget equations for second moment quantities are studied to reveal the dominant mechanisms governing the turbulence and mixing before and after the shocks’ interactions with the interface. In addition, budget quantities are examined in relation to closure modeling for averaged equations. Budgets calculated from spatially-filtered fields are furthermore examined to assess the effects of resolution and their implications for LES modeling.