A formalism is presented for calculating all the normal growth modes of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a stratified fluid of arbitrary profile. The classical instability is suppressed by the introduction of a finite density gradient at the interface, a technique applicable to inertial-confinement fusion targets.

• Received 22 January 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.48.1365