Centrifugal convection and its effect on the asymptotic stability of a bounded rotating fluid heated from below

Abstract

Centrifugally driven circulations in a rapidly rotating cylinder of fluid heated differentially in the vertical are considered. Boundary-layer solutions obtained previously are extended to include large diameter/height aspect ratios and a centrifugal acceleration of the same magnitude as that of gravity. The ratio of convective to conductive heat transfer is small in the region of parameter space considered. The effect of the circulations on the asymptotic stability of a fluid heat from below and subjected to Coriolis force is then considered. Away from the side wall of the cylinder the basic state circulation increases the critical Rayleigh number at which gravitational instabilities occur; however, a destabilization near the side wall is possible.