Applications

INERTIAL CONFINEMENT NUCLEAR FUSION

Nuclear fusion is the process of fusing atoms and gaining large amounts of energy through the process. For instance, by combining a deuterium ion and a tritium ion, the output is a helium atom and a free electron. However, the helium atom and free electron have less mass than the ions. Where does this mass go? From Einstein, we learned that E=mc², in other words, the energy in a certain amount of mass is proportional to the speed of light squared. If we know anything about the speed of light, we know it's BIG. Therefore, even a little bit of mass can create a large amount of energy. This is the interest in nuclear fusion, but how do we make it happen?

One way is through a process known as inertial confinement. Imagine a small spherical shell filled with a mixture of these deuterium and tritium ions. Now, if lasers were fired onto this shell from every angle, the shell would be heated and compressed thus exciting the ions on the inside. Through this excitation, the ions eventually collide and fuse, thus achieving nuclear fusion. Ever seen Spider Man 2? It's kind of like that.

So where does Rayleigh-Taylor flow fit in the process? Well, when the lasers hit the shell wall, the wall tends to melt into the ionic mixture. The wall, typically aluminum or some other metal, is a heavy fluid and the ionic mixture is a light fluid. The heat from the laser acts as the forcing parameter and Rayleigh-Taylor flow occurs. Unfortunately, as the fluids mix, the ignition temperature required increases dramatically. Since we're already on the order of millions of degrees Fahrenheit, anything more is extremely difficult. This is the direct application of our project. If we can find the function which controls the rate of mixing of Rayleigh-Taylor flow, scientists would know how to control the intensity of the lasers so that they minimize the amount of mixing that occurs.

SUPERNOVAS

As a star dies, its gravity increases because it is pulling in all nearby matter. Once the extremely dense bomb explodes, it thrusts the heavy matter into the light dusty particles remaining in its solar system. By understanding the visualization of Rayleigh-Taylor flow, astronomers on Earth can witness the aftermath of a supernova and provide more explanation to the understanding of the Universe.

WEATHER PATTERNS

If a heavy gust of wind were to travel over a cliff, it would be interrupted by a light gust of wind coming up the cliff. This light-into-heavy fluid mixture (in this case cold, heavy air and warm, light air) is a good example of Rayleigh-Taylor flow. As the fluids mix and traverse beyond the cliff, they can create storms, dust clouds, and even hurricanes.

GEOPHYSICAL

Just before a volcano erupts, the magma is layered below the surface of the Earth waiting to explode. However, geologists who explore the layering of lava after an eruption have difficulty in explaining why they are layered as such. One potential reason is Rayleigh-Taylor flow occurring below the Earth's surface with different densities of magma.

Essentially, any type of explosions or rapidly accelerating system will involve Rayleigh-Taylor flow.