Three-dimensional, nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability of a thin layer

A numerical simulation scheme is developed to examine the nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability of a thin sheet in three dimensions. It is shown that the erosion of mass at the top of the bubble is approximately as described by two-dimensional simulations. However, mass is lost into spikes more slowly in three-dimensional than in two-dimensional simulations.