Directed energy and turbulence structure are shown to be crucial in
understanding the growth of self-similar Rayleigh–Taylor and
incompressible Richtmyer–Meshkov turbulent mixing zones.
Averaging over the mixing zone is used to analyze the response of a
modified k–ε model and a turbulent two-fluid
model. Three different transport regimes are then identified by
considering self-similar variable acceleration RT flows (SSVARTs),
which appear as promising reference flows for model testing.