Zero-dimensional model for magnetic curvature driven Rayleigh Taylor turbulence simulations

A zero-dimensional nonlinear evolution model is derived from the full set of two-dimensional fluid evolution equations of the curvature driven Rayleigh Taylor instability. Such a model, arrived on heuristic grounds earlier, was found to capture the principal features of the final saturated state of the instability [A. Das, S. Mahajan, P. Kaw, A. Sen, S. Benkadda, A. Verga, Phys. Plasmas 4 (1997) 1018; A. Das, A. Sen, S. Mahajan, P. Kaw, Phys. Plasmas 8 (2001) 5104]. We present a detailed analysis of the linear and nonlinear characteristics of the model and also discuss some of its limitations.