Weakly nonlinear theory for the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

A weakly nonlinear model is proposed for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the presence of ablation and thermal transport. The second harmonic generation efficiency of a single-mode disturbance is computed, as well as the nonlinear correction to the exponential growth of the fundamental modulation. Mode coupling in the spectrum of a multimode disturbance is thoroughly analyzed. The ablative stabilization can be clearly discussed because the derived formulas for the evanescent ablation rate are in agreement with previously known results for incompressible, inviscid, irrotational, and immiscible fluids [S. W. Haan, Phys. Fluids B 3, 2349 (1991)]; M. Berning and A. M. Rubenchik, Phys. Fluids 10, 1564 (1998)]].