The Effect of the Magnetic Field on the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in a Couple-Stress Fluid

In this study we examine the effect of the magnetic field parameter on the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in a couple stress fluids. A simple theory based on fully developed flow approximations is used to derive the dispersion relation for the growth rate of the RTI. The general dispersion relation obtained using perturbation equations with appropriate boundary conditions will be reduced for the special cases of propagation and the condition of instability and stability will be obtained. In solving the problem of the R-T instability the appropriate boundary conditions will be applied. The couple-stress parameter is found to be stabilizing and the influence of the various parameters involved in the problem on the interface stability is thoroughly analyzed. The new results will be obtained by plotting the curves between the dimensionless growth rate and the dimensionless wave number for various physical parameters involved in the problem (viz. the magnetic field, couple-stress, porosity, etc.) in the problem. It is found that the magnetic field and couple-stress have a stabilization effect whereas the buoyancy force (surface tension) has a destabilization effect on the RT instability in the presence of porous media