Numerical study of the effect of magnetic field on laser-driven Rayleigh–Taylor instability under multi-mode disturbance

Rayleigh Taylor instability (RTI), a fundamental physical phenomenon in fluid and plasma, plays an essential role in astrophysics, space physics, and engineering. In this paper, the two-dimensional numerical simulation of RTI produced by laser-driven multi-mode disturbance modulated target is carried out using the open source radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulation code (FLASH). The evolution of RTI under the condition of no magnetic field and different applied magnetic fields along the vertical flow direction is systematically investigated and compared. The simulation results show that the applied magnetic field in the vertical direction will be compressed and amplified by the plasma behind the target by 20 times to 200 Tesla. The amplified magnetic field has a stabilizing effect on the RTI and Kelvin-Helmholtz vortex at the tail of the RTI spike. The results provide a reference for the follow-up research on target physics related to ICF and help deepen the understanding of the fluid mixing process.