The overarching goal of this work is to advance the current knowledge of hydrodynamic instabilities (namely, Richtmyer-Meshkov and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities) and associated turbulent mixing phenomena which is important for several emerging technologies and verification/validation of numerical models being developed to study these phenomena. Three experimental campaigns were designed to focus on understanding the evolution of the instability under different impulsive acceleration histories and highlight the impact of initial conditions on the developing turbulent flow environment. The first campaign highlights the importance of initial baroclinic torque distribution along the developing shocked interface in a twice-shocked variable-density flow environment. The second campaign is a parametric study which aims at providing a large dataset for validating models in literature as well as simulations. In the last study, a new type of initial condition was designed to study the effect of initial conditions on late time turbulent flows. A description of the optical diagnostic techniques developed in our laboratory in order to complete these studies will be given. Now each campaign will be introduced. In the first campaign, an inclined interface perturbation is used as the initial condition. The Mach number (1.55), angle of inclination (60 degrees), and gas pair (N2/CO2) were held constant. The parameter which changed was the distance that the initial condition was placed relative to the end of the shock tube (i.e., the end of the test section). Three distances were used. The vorticity distribution was found to be very different for the most developed case after reshock. Furthermore, the most developed case started to develop an inertial range before reshock. The second campaign is parametric and seeks to test a proposed inclined interface scaling technique. The data is also useful for comparing to Ares simulation results. The parameter space covered Mach number (1.55 and 2.01), inclination angle (60 degrees and 80 degrees), and Atwood number (0.23 and 0.67). PLIF was developed and used to collect data for four cases before and after reshock. Linear and nonlinear cases developed very differently before reshock, but their mixing widths converged after reshock. The last campaign involves a new perturbation technique which generates what will be referred to as a complex interface. Counter-flowing jets were placed near the interface exit ports to create shear. The perturbation was made more complex by also injecting light (heavy) gas into the heavy (light) one. Density and velocity statistics were collected simultaneously. The complex case retained a signature of the inclined interface perturbation at late time before reshock and developed a larger inertial range than its inclined interface counterpart. Important parameters for a variable-density turbulence model are also presented.

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability is studied in vertical shock tube experiment. The instability is initiated by the passage of an incident shock wave over an interface between two dissimilar gases. The interface is formed by opposed gas flows in which air and SF₆ enter the shock tube from the top and from the bottom of the shock tube driven section. The gases exit the test section through a series of small holes in the test section side walls, leaving behind a flat, diffuse membrane-free interface at that location. Random three-dimensional perturbations are imposed on the interface by oscillating the column of gases in the vertical direction, using two loud speakers mounted in the shock tube wall. The development of the turbulent mixing is observed as a result of the shock-interface interaction. The flow is visualized using planar Mie scattering in which the light from a laser sheet is scattered by smoke particles seeded in one of the experimental gases and image sequences are captured using high-speed CMOS cameras. The primary interest of the study is the determination of the growth rate of the turbulent mixing layer that develops after an impulsive acceleration of the perturbed interface between the two gases (air/SF₆) by a weak M=1.2 incident shock wave. Measurements of the mixing layer width following the initial shock interaction show a power law growth h ~ tᶿ similar to those observed in previous experiments and simulations with θ ~ 0.40. The experiments reveal that the growth rate of the mixing width significantly varies from one experiment to another. This is attributed to the influence of initial perturbations imposed on the interface. However, better consistency for the mixing layer growth rate is obtained from the mixing generated by the reflected shock wave. A novel approach that is based on mass and linear momentum conservation laws in the moving reference frame leads to a new definition of the spike and bubble mixing layer widths, which does not depend on the initial conditions.

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) in the convergent geometry is numerically studied in the framework of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and two-fluid plasma in this thesis. The converging RMI usually occurs along with the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) due to the non-uniform motion or continuous acceleration of the interface. First, we investigate the interaction between a converging cylindrical shock and double density interfaces in the presence of a saddle magnetic field with ideal MHD model. We show that the RMI is suppressed by the magnetic field . However, the extent of the suppression varies on the interface which leads to non-axisymmetric growth of the perturbations. The degree of asymmetry increases when the seed field strength increases. The perturbation amplitude is affected by the competition mechanism between RMI and RTI. It increases when RMI dominates RTI while decreases when RTI dominates. Then, we research the two-fluid plasma RMI of a cylindrical density interface without an initial magnetic field. Varying the Debye length scale, we examine the effects of the coupling between the electron and ion fluids. The charge separation is responsible for the self-generated electromagnetic fields. We show that the Biermann battery effect dominates the generation of magnetic field when the coupling effect is weak. In addition to the RT stabilization effect during flow deceleration, the interfaces are accelerated by the induced Lorentz force. As a consequence, the perturbations develop into the RTI, leading to an enhancement of the perturbation amplitude compared with the hydrodynamic case. Finally, we investigate the linear evolution of two-fluid plasma RMI. We show that the increase of perturbation amplitude is almost contributed by the ion shock-interface interaction. We also examine the effect of magnetic field in the streamwise direction. For a short duration after the ion shock-interface interaction, the growth rate is similar for different initial magnetic field strengths. As time progresses the suppression of the instability due to the magnetic field is observed. The growth rate shows oscillations with a frequency that is related to the ion or electron cyclotron frequency. The instability is suppressed due to the vorticity being transported away from the interface.

The Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability (RMI) (Commun. Pure Appl. Math 23, 297-319, 1960; Izv. Akad. Nauk. SSSR Maekh. Zhidk. Gaza. 4, 151-157, 1969) occurs due to an impulsive acceleration acting on a perturbed interface between two fluids of different densities. In the experiments presented in this thesis, single mode 3D RMI experiments are performed. An oscillating speaker generates a single mode sinusoidal initial perturbation at an interface of two gases, air and SF6. A Mach 1.19 shock wave accelerates the interface and generates the Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability. Both gases are seeded with propylene glycol particles which are illuminated by an Nd: YLF pulsed laser. Three high-speed video cameras record image sequences of the experiment. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is applied to measure the velocity field. Measurements of the amplitude for both spike and bubble are obtained, from which the growth rate is measured. For both spike and bubble experiments, amplitude and growth rate match the linear stability theory at early time, but fall into a non-linear region with amplitude measurements lying between the modified 3D Sadot et al. model (Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 1654-1657, 1998) and the Zhang & Sohn model (Phys. Fluids 9. 1106-1124, 1997; Z. Angew. Math Phys 50. 1-46, 1990) at late time. Amplitude and growth rate curves are found to lie above the modified 3D Sadot et al. model and below Zhang & Sohn model for the spike experiments. Conversely, for the bubble experiments, both amplitude and growth rate curves lie above the Zhang & Sohn model, and below the modified 3D Sadot et al. model. Circulation is also calculated using the vorticity and velocity fields from the PIV measurements. The calculated circulation are approximately equal and found to grow with time, a result that differs from the modified Jacobs and Sheeley's circulation model (Phys. Fluids 8, 405-415, 1996).

Lorsqu’un matériau solide est soumis à un chargement dynamique (par l’impact d’un projectile, la détonation d’un explosif ou l’irradiation par un laser intense), il se forme une onde de choc, qui se propage dans le matériau depuis la surface chargée. Si cette onde débouche sur une surface libre comportant des défauts géométriques tels que des rugosités, des rayures ou des cavités, son interaction avec ces défauts conduit à l’éjection, sous forme de jets de matière, de débris dont la taille caractéristique est de l’ordre du micromètre et dont la vitesse est typiquement de quelques km/s. La maîtrise de ce processus, appelé microjetting ou micro-éjection, est essentielle pour de nombreuses applications (conception de blindage, découpe pyrotechnique, usinage à très haute vitesse, expériences de Fusion par Confinement Inertiel…). Dans le cadre de cette thèse, menée en collaboration avec le centre CEA de Bruyères-le-Châtel, ce phénomène est étudié dans quatre métaux (Aluminium, Etain, Cuivre et Plomb) à partir de rainures calibrées de deux types : triangulaires isolées de demi-angles d’ouverture contrôlés (20°, 30° et 45°) ou sinusoïdales périodiques. Les influences du matériau, de la forme et de l’ouverture des défauts, de la pression de choc et de l’état du milieu (solide ou fondu sous choc ou en détente) sur les propriétés balistiques des éjectas (vitesses de jet, distribution en taille et densité surfacique des débris constituant les jets) sont évaluées via trois approches complémentaires : expérimentale, théorique et numérique.L’étude expérimentale comporte plusieurs campagnes de chocs laser, effectuées sur l’installation LULI2000 du Laboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers Intenses (Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau), avec plusieurs techniques de diagnostic : Ombroscopie Transverse, Vélocimétrie Hétérodyne, radiographie X rapide in-situ, récupération d’éjectas dans des gels (analysés ensuite en microtomographie). Les résultats sont confrontés à des prédictions théoriques (hydrodynamique des chocs obliques et des charges creuses pour les rainures triangulaires, instabilités de Richtmyer-Meshkov pour les rainures sinusoïdales). Enfin, les simulations numériques réalisées avec le code Radioss utilisent deux approches complémentaires : les Eléments Finis Lagrangiens et la formulation SPH (Smoothed Particles Hydrodynamics), encore très peu appliquée au microjetting, plus empirique que la première mais mieux adaptée aux grandes déformations dans les jets et permettant d’accéder à des distributions de tailles de fragments / When a dense material is subjected to a dynamic load (such as projectile impact, explosive detonation or irradiation by a high energy laser beam), a shock wave propagates from the loaded surface. If this shock wave interacts with a free surface with geometrical defects such as grooves, scratches or cavities, it can lead to the ejection of micrometric debris with typical velocities of a few km/s. Understanding this microjetting process is a key issue for many applications, including shielding design, pyrotechnics, high-speed machining and Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments.In this work in collaboration with the CEA-DIF at Bruyères-le-Châtel, this phenomenon is studied under laser-driven shock loading in four materials (Aluminum, Tin, Copper and Lead) with calibrated grooves of two types: isolated triangular profile with controlled aperture half-angles (20°, 30° and 45°) or periodic sinusoidal shape. The influences of the material, of the geometry of the defects, of the shock pressure and of the state of matter (solid or melted under shock or release wave) on the ballistic properties of the ejecta (jet velocity, size distribution and areal mass of the debris constituting the jet) are investigated with three complementary approaches: experimental, theoretical and numerical.The experimental study involves several campaigns performed at the LULI2000 facility of the Laboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers Intenses (Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau) and complementary diagnostic techniques: Transverse Shadowgraphy, Heterodyne Velocimetry, fast in situ X-ray radiography, recovery of the ejecta in a gel followed by microtomography. The results are compared with theoretical predictions (2D shocks and shaped charges hydrodynamics for the triangular grooves, Richtmyer-Meshkov Instabilities for the sinusoidal grooves). Then, numerical simulations are performed with the Radioss code with two complementary approaches: the Lagrangian Finite Elements and the SPH (Smoothed Particles Hydrodynamics) formulation, still very scarcely applied to microjetting, more empirical than the first approach but more suitable to the high strains in the jets and allowing access to size distributions of the debris.

Cette thèse porte sur la propagation d'incertitudes et la résolution de problème inverse et leur accélération par Chaos Polynomial. L'objectif est de faire un état de l'art et une analyse numérique des méthodes spectrales de type Chaos Polynomial, d'en comprendre les avantages et les inconvénients afin de l'appliquer à l'étude probabiliste d'instabilités hydrodynamiques dans des expériences de tubes à choc de type Richtmyer-Meshkov. Le second chapitre fait un état de l'art illustré sur plusieurs exemples des méthodes de type Chaos Polynomial. Nous y effectuons son analyse numérique et mettons en évidence la possibilité d'améliorer la méthode, notamment sur des solutions irrégulières (en ayant en tête les difficultés liées aux problèmes hydrodynamiques), en introduisant le Chaos Polynomial généralisé itératif. Ce chapitre comporte également l'analyse numérique complète de cette nouvelle méthode. Le chapitre 3 a fait l'objet d'une publication dans Communication in Computational Physics, celle-ci a récemment été acceptée. Il fait l'état de l'art des méthodes d'inversion probabilistes et focalise sur l'inférence bayesienne. Il traite enfin de la possibilité d'accélérer la convergence de cette inférence en utilisant les méthodes spectrales décrites au chapitre précédent. La convergence théorique de la méthode d'accélération est démontrée et illustrée sur différents cas-test. Nous appliquons les méthodes et algorithmes des deux chapitres précédents à un problème complexe et ambitieux, un écoulement de gaz compressible physiquement instable (configuration tube à choc de Richtmyer-Meshkov) avec une analyse poussée des phénomènes physico-numériques en jeu. Enfin en annexe, nous présentons quelques pistes de recherche supplémentaires rapidement abordées au cours de cette thèse. / This thesis deals with uncertainty propagation and the resolution of inverse problems together with their respective acceleration via Polynomial Chaos. The object of this work is to present a state of the art and a numerical analysis of this stochastic spectral method, in order to understand its pros and cons when tackling the probabilistic study of hydrodynamical instabilities in Richtmyer-Meshkov shock tube experiments. The first chapter is introductory and allows understanding the stakes of being able to accurately take into account uncertainties in compressible gas dynamics simulations. The second chapter is both an illustrative state of the art on generalized Polynomial Chaos and a full numerical analysis of the method keeping in mind the final application on hydrodynamical problems developping shocks and discontinuous solutions. In this chapter, we introduce a new method, naming iterative generalized Polynomial Chaos, which ensures a gain with respect to generalized Polynomial Chaos, especially with non smooth solutions. Chapter three is closely related to an accepted publication in Communication in Computational Physics. It deals with stochastic inverse problems and introduces bayesian inference. It also emphasizes the possibility of accelerating the bayesian inference thanks to iterative generalized Polynomial Chaos described in the previous chapter. Theoretical convergence is established and illustrated on several test-cases. The last chapter consists in the application of the above materials to a complex and ambitious compressible gas dynamics problem (Richtmyer-Meshkov shock tube configuration) together with a deepened study of the physico-numerical phenomenon at stake. Finally, in the appendix, we also present some interesting research paths we quickly tackled during this thesis.

Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) occurs when an interface of two fluids with different densities is impulsively accelerated. The main interest in RMI is to understand the growth of perturbations, and numerous theoretical models have been developed and validated against experimental/numerical studies. However, most of the studies assume very simple initial conditions. Recently, more complex RMI has been studied, and this study focuses on two cases: reshocked RMI and multiphase RMI. It is well known that reshock to the species interface causes rapid growth of interface perturbation amplitude. However, the growth rates after reshock are not well understood, and there are no practical theoretical models yet due to its complex interface conditions at reshock. A couple of empirical expressions have been derived from experimental and numerical studies, but these models are limited to certain interface conditions. This study performs parametric numerical studies on various interface conditions, and the empirical models on the reshocked RMI are derived for each case. It is shown that the empirical models can be applied to a wide range of initial conditions by choosing appropriate values of the coefficient. The second part of the study analyzes the flow physics of multiphase RMI. The linear growth model for multiphase RMI is derived, and it is shown that the growth rates depend on two nondimensional parameters: the mass loading of the particles and the Stokes number. The model is compared to the numerical predictions under two types of conditions: a shock wave hitting (1) a perturbed species interface surrounded by particles, and (2) a perturbed particle cloud. In the first type of the problem, the growth rates obtained by the numerical simulations are in agreement with the multiphase RMI growth model when Stokes number is small. However, when the Stokes number is very large, the RMI motion follows the single-phase RMI growth model since the particle do not rapidly respond while the RMI instability grows. The second type of study also shows that the multiphase RMI model is applicable if Stokes number is small. Since the particles themselves characterize the interface, the range of applicable Stokes number is smaller than the first study. If the Stokes number is in the order of one or larger, the interface experiences continuous acceleration and shows the growth profile similar to a Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

A computational and experimental study of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability is presented here for an inclined interface perturbation. The computational work is composed of simulation studies of the inclined interface RMI performed using the Arbitrary Lagrange Eulerian (ALE) code called ARES. These simulations covered a wide range of Mach numbers (1.2 to 3.5), gas pairs (Atwood numbers 0.23to 0.95), inclination angles (30° to 85°), and explored various perturbation types (both inclined interface and sinusoidal). The computational work included the first parametric study of the inclined interface RMI. This study yielded the first scaling method for the inclined interface RMI mixing width growth rates. It was extended to explore the effect of perturbation linearity and identified that a sharp transition in growth regimes occurs for an initial perturbation inclination angle of 75° with angles below (above) this growing faster (slower). Finally a study of the effects of incident shock strength on the refracted shock wave perturbation decay rate is presented. This study examined how the perturbations induced on the transmitted shock front by the RMI decay with time and found that the decay rates follow a power law model, Alpha=Beta∗S^(Epsilon). When the coefficients from the power law decay model were plotted versus Mach number, a distinct transition region was found which is likely a result of the post-shock heavy gas velocity transitioning from the subsonic to supersonic range. The experimental portion of this work was conducted using the TAMUFMSTF, completed in May of 2012. This facility uses a variable inclination shock tube, with a modular construction design for incident shock strengths of up to Mach 3.0. It employs optical systems for measuring density and velocity fields simultaneously using the planar laser induced fluorescence and particle imaging velocimetry techniques. The design and construction of this facility is reviewed in detail in chapter 4 of this work. The initial experiments performed in the TAMUFMSTF provided the first known extensive experimental data for an inclined interface RMI. Planar laser Mie scattering images and velocity vectors were obtained for a N_(2)/CO_(2) interface at a 60° inclination angle and an incident shock strength of Mach 1.55. These images have been compared with simulations made using the ARES codes and have been shown to have some distinct differences. Some of these differences indicate that the initial conditions in the experiments deviate from the ideal planar interface. Other differences have revealed features which have not been resolved by the simulations due to resolution limitations.

Richtmyer-Meshkov instability is studied in shock tube experiments with an Atwood number of 0.7. The interface is formed in a vertical shock tube using opposed gas flows, and three-dimensional random initial interface perturbations are generated by the vertical oscillation of gas column producing Faraday waves. Planar Laser Mie scattering is used for flow visualization and for measurements of the mixing process. Experimental image sequences are recorded at 6 kHz frequency and processed to obtain the time dependent variation of the integral mixing layer width. Measurements of the mixing layer width are compared with Mikaelian's [1] model in order to extract the growth exponent. where a fairly wide range of values is found varying from theta approximate to 0.2 to 0.6.

The Richtmyer-Meshkov instability occurs when density-stratified interfaces are impulsively accelerated, typically by a shock wave. We present a numerical method to simulate the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability in cylindrical geometry. The ideal MHD equations are linearized about a time-dependent base state to yield linear partial differential equations governing the perturbed quantities. Convergence tests demonstrate that second order accuracy is achieved for smooth flows, and the order of accuracy is between first and second order for flows with discontinuities. Numerical results are presented for cases of interfaces with positive Atwood number and purely azimuthal perturbations. In hydrodynamics, the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability growth of perturbations is followed by a Rayleigh-Taylor growth phase. In MHD, numerical results indicate that the perturbations can be suppressed for sufficiently large perturbation wavenumbers and magnetic fields.