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arXiv · 2510.27518

The linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability with foams

Antoine Bret·Audrey DeVault·Skylar Dannhoff·Maria Gatu Johnson·Chikang Li·Johan Frenje
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Abstract

We analyse the behaviour of the linear phase of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in the presence of a foam. Such a problem may be relevant, for example, to some inertial confinement fusion (ICF) scenarios such as foams within the capsule or lining the inner hohlraum wall. The foam displays 3 different phases: by order of increasing stress, it is first elastic, then plastic, and then fractures. Only the elastic and plastic phases can be subject to a linear analysis of the instability. The growth rate is analytically computed in these 2 phases, in terms of the micro-structure of the foam. In the first, elastic, phase, the RTI can be stabilized for some wavelengths. In this elastic phase, a homogenous foam model overestimates the growth because it ignores the elastic nature of the foam. Although this result is derived for a simplified foam model, it is likely valid for most of them. Besides the ICF context considered here, our results could be relevant for many fields of science.

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Antoine Bret, Audrey DeVault, Skylar Dannhoff, Maria Gatu Johnson, Chikang Li, Johan Frenje. 2025-10-31. The linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability with foams. https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.27518

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