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arXiv · 2607.07356

Observation of Self-Similarity in the Magnetic Fields Generated by the Ablative Nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

L. Gao·P. M. Nilson·I. V. Igumenschev·G. Fiksel·R. Yan·J. R. Davies·D. Martinez·V. Smalyuk·M. G. Haines·E. G. Blackman·D. H. Froula·R. Betti·D. D. Meyerhofer
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Abstract

Magnetic fields generated by the nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor growth of laser-seeded three-dimensional broadband perturbations were measured in laser-accelerated planar targets using ultrafast proton radiography. The experimental data show self-similar behavior in the growing cellular magnetic field structures. These observations are consistent with a bubble competition and merger model that predicts the time evolution of the number and size of the bubbles, linking the cellular magnetic field structures with the Rayleigh-Taylor bubble and spike growth.

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L. Gao, P. M. Nilson, I. V. Igumenschev, G. Fiksel, R. Yan, J. R. Davies, D. Martinez, V. Smalyuk, M. G. Haines, E. G. Blackman, D. H. Froula, R. Betti, D. D. Meyerhofer. 2026-07-08. Observation of Self-Similarity in the Magnetic Fields Generated by the Ablative Nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor Instability. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.110.185003

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