Hydrodynamic instability of the contact zone between accelerated gases

An experimental apparatus for investigating Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the transition layer between two gases at accelerations g 10⁵g₀ (g₀ is the acceleration of gravity) is described. The constantly acting acceleration is communicated to the contact zone by the compression wave formed ahead of a flame front. The linear stage of development is investigated together with the effect of the thickness of the contact zone. It is shown that on the interval 0.3 < <- ( is the wavelength of the disturbance at the edge of the contact zone) the rate of growth of the perturbation amplitude 0.5₀, where ₀ is the amplitude growth rate for media separated by an interface with a discontinuous change of density.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 15–21, November–December, 1991.