Modeling plus simulations using the one-dimensional Lagrangian
radiation-hydrodynamics code HYADES are compared with data
from classical and ablative Rayleigh–Taylor experiments
conducted on the Nova laser. Comparisons between the experiments
and modeling for both the gross hydrodynamic motion and
the perturbation evolution are made and show good agreement.
A third order perturbation analysis is applied to demonstrate
the onset of nonlinearity. A simple, physically intuitive
saturation model is used to describe the growth further
into the nonlinear regime. Finally, we present the first
comparison of the Betti ablation front theory with indirect-drive
RT data and obtain good agreement.