Dynamic Stabilization of the Interchange Instability of a Liquid-Gas Interface

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a viscous liquid superimposed upon air can be dynamically stabilized by oscillating the liquid perpendicularly to its horizontal equilibrium surface, thus maintaining the position of the liquid for an arbitrary time. The viscosity of the liquid was found to have a strong influence on the stability of the short-wavelength modes. In the parameter regime investigated the effect of the compressibility of the gas was negligible.