Effects of density gradients on Rayleigh-Taylor instability in an ablatively accelerated inertial confinement fusion target

The effects of plasma density inhomogeneities on the growth of Rayleigh-Taylor instability of an ablatively accelerated inertial confinement fusion target are studied part analytically. The density profile is simulated by means of suitable exponentials in various spatial regions of interest and analytical equations, determining the growth rate of the instability, are derived. Results for the fastest growth rate are presented and discussed for a wide class of realistic profile parameters. A reduction in the growth rate of the instability is predicted particularly at low wavenumbers. A comparison of the present results with the analytical results for a simple step-wise density profile indicates that this reduction in the growth rate may be attributed to the finite density gradients present. (author)