It is shown how the variable density model that governs the Rayleigh-Taylor instability for the miscible mixing of two incompressible fluids can be transformed into a diffusive version of the inhomogeneous, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations forced by gradients of the composition density $\rho$ of the mixing layer. This demonstrates how buoyancy-driven flows drive and enhance Navier-Stokes turbulence. The role of the potential vorticity $q=\mathit{\omega }·\nabla \rho$ is also discussed.

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• Rayleigh-Taylor instability
• Turbulence