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Quasi-self-similarity of the horizontal magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor instability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2025

Antoine Briard Open the ORCID record for Antoine Briard [Opens in a new window] ,
Benoit-Joseph Gréa Open the ORCID record for Benoit-Joseph Gréa [Opens in a new window]  and
Olivier Soulard
Antoine Briard*
Affiliation:
CEA, DAM, DIF , Arpajon 91297, France
Benoit-Joseph Gréa
Affiliation:
CEA, DAM, DIF , Arpajon 91297, France Laboratoire de la Matière en Conditions Extrêmes, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Bruyères-le-Châtel 91680, France
Olivier Soulard
Affiliation:
CEA, DAM, DIF , Arpajon 91297, France Laboratoire de la Matière en Conditions Extrêmes, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Bruyères-le-Châtel 91680, France
*
Corresponding author: Antoine Briard, antoine.briard@cea.fr
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Abstract

An imposed constant magnetic field parallel to the interface in the Rayleigh–Taylor framework strongly modifies the dynamics of the flow. The growth rate of the turbulent mixing layer is almost doubled compared with the purely hydrodynamic case, mainly due to a strong reduction of small-scale mixing. Indeed, magnetic tension inhibits the small-scale perturbations from developing, which in turn creates a strong anisotropy with structures elongated in the field direction. Two theoretical predictions for the asymptotic state of the magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor instability (MRTI) are put forward. First, considering the large-scale dynamics, an upper bound for the mixing layer growth rate is obtained. Second, the phenomenology is embedded in a buoyancy–drag equation from which an analytical relation between the growth rate, mixing, anisotropy and induced magnetic fields is derived. Both predictions are successfully assessed with high resolution direct numerical simulations of the Boussinesq–Navier–Stokes equations under the magnetohydrodynamics approximation. These predictions characterize the quasi-self-similar state of the MRTI driven by strong magnetic fields.

JFM classification

MHD and Electrohydrodynamics: MHD turbulence Mixing: Turbulent mixing Turbulent Flows: Stratified turbulence

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JFM Papers
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Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 1023 , 25 November 2025 , A20
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© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Supplementary material: File

Briard et al. supplementary movie 1

3D density field of simulation R2B00AG05 corresponding to Figure 3.
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Supplementary material: File

Briard et al. supplementary movie 2

3D density field of simulation R2B03AG05 corresponding to Figure 3.
Download Briard et al. supplementary movie 2(File)
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