Combined effect of viscosity and vorticity on single mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability bubble growth

The combined effect of viscosity and vorticity on the growth rate of the bubble associated with single mode Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated. It is shown that the effect of viscosity on the motion of the lighter fluid associated with vorticity accumulated inside the bubble due to mass ablation may be such as to reduce the net viscous drag on the bubble exerted by the upper heavier fluid as the former rises through it. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3555523]