Intuitive calculation of the relativistic Rayleigh-Taylor instability linear growth rate

Abstract

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is a key process in many fields of Physics ranging from astrophysics to inertial confinement fusion. It is usually analyzed deriving the linearized fluid equations, but the physics behind the instability is not always clear. Recent works on this instability allow for an very intuitive understanding of the phenomenon and for a straightforward calculation of the linear growth rate. In this Letter, it is shown that the same reasoning allows for a direct derivation of the relativistic expression of the linear growth rate for an incompressible fluid.