The 9th International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes (ICMRE2026) ( ICMRE2026)

159 / 2026-03-31 22:28:33

Numerical Simulation Study on the Effect of Finite Resistivity on the Magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor Instability in Z-Pinch

MRT instability,Fast Z-pinch,resistivity effect

Laser and Particle Beam Fusion, Magnetic Driven Fusion > Z-pinch Fusion Physics

The Magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor (MRT) instability is one of the most critical issues affecting the quality of Z-pinch implosions, in which resistivity plays a negative role by weakening the stabilizing effect of the magnetic field on the MRT instability. In this study, we perform numerical simulations using the PLUTO code[1] to investigate the linear growth stage of the MRT instability based on a three-region slab model within the framework of resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The linear growth rate curves are obtained for various parameters, including magnetic field strength, resistivity magnitude, and perturbation wavelength. The results show that due to resistivity, the axial magnetic field diffuses into the plasma, thereby weakening its stabilizing effect on the MRT instability, which is consistent with theoretical predictions[2]. However, we find that at a magnetic field strength close to the cut-off value, the presence of high resistivity leads to a growth rate lower than the theoretically calculated value. Furthermore, by analyzing the numerical simulation data, we refine the perturbed magnetic field distribution assumption, thereby overcoming the limitations of theoretical calculations when the growth rate is small.

[1]    A. Mignone et al., “PLUTO: A Numerical Code for Computational Astrophysics,” ASTROPHYS J SUPPL S, vol. 170, no. 1, pp. 228–242, May 2007, doi: 10.1086/513316.

[2]    L. Huang, D. Xiao, X. Wang, Y. Lu, and X. Chen, “Theoretical investigation of resistivity on the magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor instability in Z-pinch plasmas,” Physics of Plasmas, vol. 32, no. 5, p. 052714, May 2025, doi: 10.1063/5.0253491.