Omega 60 experiments of Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth in the highly non-linearly stage: results and future directions*

Potential flow models predict that a Rayleigh-Taylor unstable system will reach a terminal velocity (and constant Froude number). When the density contrast of the two fluids is small, numerical simulations show a re-acceleration of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) growth and higher Froude in the late nonlinear stage. We have conducted a series of experiments at Omega 60 to measure single-mode RTI growth to the latest times possible, for both high- and low-Atwood number systems. Experimental results, comparisons with simulations, and future directions are discussed here.