Self-generated magnetic fields in blast-wave driven Rayleigh-Taylor experiments

We study the effect of self-generated magnetic fields in two-dimensional computer models of blast-wave driven high-energy density Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) experiments. Previous works [1,2] suggested that such fields have the potential to influence the RTI morphology and mixing. When neglecting the friction force between electrons and ions, we do indeed find that dynamically important (beta less than or similar to 10(3)) magnetic fields are generated. However, in the more realistic case where the friction force is accounted for, the resulting fields are much weaker, beta greater than or similar to 10(5), and can no longer influence the dynamics of the system. Although we find no evidence for dynamically important magnetic fields being created in the two-dimensional case studied here, the situation might be different in a three-dimensional setup, which will be addressed in a future study. Published by Elsevier B.V.