Past exam of the Probability, statistics and options II course of the University of Oxford / 2007 / K / 4 / Solution

For potential flow, each velocity potential satisfies Laplace's equation in its fluid. The exact kinematic boundary condition on $y=\eta$ is ${\eta }_t+{\varphi }_{j,x}{\eta }_x={\varphi }_{j,y}$. Keeping only first-order terms givesThe linearized Bernoulli equation is $p_j=p_0-{\rho }_j({\varphi }_{j,t}+g\eta )$ at the interface, so pressure continuity givesFor a decaying disturbance away from the interface, put $\psi =kx-\omega t$ and takeThey satisfy Laplace's equation and the kinematic boundary conditions for $\eta =A\cos \psi$. Substituting in the dynamic condition gives the dispersion relationIf the heavier fluid is on top, ${\omega }^2<0$. Instead of oscillation, a Fourier disturbance has an exponentially growing component with growth rate $\sqrt{gk({\rho }_2-{\rho }_1)/({\rho }_1+{\rho }_2)}$. This is the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the absence of surface tension.