Early-time interface instabilities in high intensity aero-breakup of liquid drop

The early-time interface instabilities in high intensity (high Weber number and high Reynolds number) aero-breakup of a liquid drop are investigated by numerical simulations. A combined analysis based on simulation results and linear-instability theory show that both RT (Rayleigh-Taylor) and KH (Kelvin-Helmholtz) instabilities contributes the dominant disturbances originate from about the half way from the stagnation point to the equator. This is verified further with a specially modified simulation, which decreases the effect of KH instability while keeps other flow properties unchanged.