Direct numerical simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) between two air masses with a temperature difference of 70 K is presented using compressible Navier-Stokes formulation in a non-equilibrium thermodynamic framework. The two-dimensional flow is studied in an isolated box with non-periodic walls in both vertical and horizontal directions. The non-conducting interface separating the two air masses is impulsively removed at t = 0 (depicting a heaviside function). No external perturbation has been used at the interface to instigate the instability at the onset. Computations have been carried out for rectangular and square cross sections. The formulation is free of Boussinesq approximation commonly used in many Navier-Stokes formulations for RTI. Effect of Stokes’ hypothesis is quantified, by using models from acoustic attenuation measurement for the second coefficient of viscosity from two experiments. Effects of Stokes’ hypothesis on growth of mixing layer and evolution of total entropy for the Rayleigh-Taylor system are reported. The initial rate of growth is observed to be independent of Stokes’ hypothesis and the geometry of the box. Following this stage, growth rate is dependent on the geometry of the box and is sensitive to the model used. As a consequence of compressible formulation, we capture pressure wave-packets with associated reflection and rarefaction from the non-periodic walls. The pattern and frequency of reflections of pressure waves noted specifically at the initial stages are reflected in entropy variation of the system.

Comprehensive understanding of the routes of instability and transition for many flows is not complete yet. For a zero pressure gradient (ZPG) boundary layer, linear spatial theory predicted Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves, which have been experimentally verified by vortically exciting the flow by a monochromatic source. This is the well-known frequency response of dynamical system theory. Natural transition in real flows occurs due to polychromatic excitation, and to simulate such transition, the ZPG boundary layer has been excited via an impulse response in some of our recent direct numerical simulations. Such impulse responses cause transition even when TS waves are not excited. In the present exercise, we show the theoretical basis of natural transition by spatiotemporal stability analysis, as used in the work of Sengupta et al. [“Spatiotemporal growing wave fronts in spatially stable boundary layers,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 96(22), 224504 (2006)], by invoking finite start-up of the frequency response to wall excitation. There appear to be different instability mechanisms active for the frequency and the impulse responses to localized wall excitation. Here, we show that in both the frequency and impulse responses, the spatiotemporal wave-front (STWF) is the common element. Additionally, we also consider cases, where following different start-ups, the wall excitation remains constant, which also show the presence of the STWF. The presented results for the ZPG boundary layer show that the TS wave is not necessary for transition to turbulence and help us to re-evaluate our understanding of the transition mechanism for this canonical flow.

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