Landau Quantised Modification of Rayleigh–Taylor Instability in Dense Plasmas

Abstract

Abstract Effects of Landau quantisation and exchange-correlation potential on Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI)/gravitational instability are investigated in inhomogeneous dense plasmas. Quantum hydrodynamic model is used for the electrons, while the ions are assumed to be cold and classical. RTI is modified with the inclusion of Landau quantisation related to plasma density, ambient magnetic field, exchange speed, and modified Fermi speed. Owing to the exchange-correlation effects, gravitational instability increases, whereas the Landau quantisation effects contribute in the opposite way for quantisation factor η < 1. Since the exchange-correlation potential is a function of density, by controlling the number density and magnetic field one can control RTI.