Numerical simulation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability of magnetic liquids

A. Cebers

Institute of Physics, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Salaspils-1, LV-2169, Latvia

Abstract
Rayleigh-Taylor instability of the magnetic fluid free interface in the Hele-Shaw cell is considered and the increment of growth of small perturbations in dependence on wave number is obtained. Algorithm of the numerical simulation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability based on boundary integral equation technique is described and results of some numerical experiments on Rayleigh-Taylor instability under the action of magnetic field are given. In comparison with the case without magnetic field when the formation of the necks for developing fingers is observed under the action of the magnetic field the formation of overextensions near the tip of the magnetic liquid finger can be seen. At larger values of the magnetic interaction parameter field induced tip splitting is observed as well. Figs 3, Refs 15.