ATMOSPHERIC GRADIENTS AND THE STABILITY OF EXPANDING JETS

Numerical simulations of adiabatically expanding slab jets in initial static pressure balance with an external atmosphere have been performed and compared to predictions made by a linear analysis of the stability of expanding jets. It is found that jets are stabilized by jet expansion as predicted by the linear analysis. We also find that an expanding jet can be destabilized by a positive temperature gradient or temperature jump in the surrounding medium which lowers the Mach number defined by the external sound speed. A temperature gradient or jump is more destabilizing than would be predicted by a linear stability analysis. The enhanced instability compared to an isothermal atmosphere with identical pressure gradient is a result of the reduced external Mach number and a result of a higher jet density relative to the density in the external medium and higher ram speed. Other differences between predictions made by the linear theory and the simulations can be understood qualitatively as a result of a change in wave speed as the wave amplitude increases.