Convection induced by centrifugal buoyancy

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The onset of convection is observed in a cylindrical annulus which is heated from the outside, cooled from the inside and rotating about its vertical axis of symmetry. The dynamical constraint exerted by the dominating Coriolis force inhibits the instability when the top and bottom boundaries of the annulus are conical so as to make the vertical height vary with distance from the axis. The experimental observations are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions by Busse (1970a). This confirmation indicates the absence of subcritical finite amplitude instabilities and suggests that the annulus experiment provides a close dynamical model for convection in the liquid core of the earth.

This publication has 7 references indexed in Scilit: