Effect of a Tangential Electric Field on Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Abstract

The model used is that of two dielectric fluids of infinite depth, with the interface initially in the form of a sine wave with amplitude small compared to the wave length. The fluids are considered incompressible and inviscid, being stressed by gravity force, tangential electric field, and a constant acceleration in a direction normal to the inferface. Stability conditions for the interface are obtained. It is found that the tangential electric field plays a stabilizing role, and can be used to suppress the instability of the system at a given wave number.