Effect of shock proximity on Richtmyer–Meshkov growth

Experiments conducted on the Omega laser [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] and simulations show reduced Richtmyer–Meshkov growth rates in a strongly shocked system with initial amplitudes kη0⩽0.9. The growth rate at early time is less than half the impulsive model prediction, rising at later time to near the impulsive prediction. An analytical model that accounts for shock proximity agrees with the results.