On the wavelength of convective motions

Abstract

It has been found experimentally that under a lid of excellent heat conductivity the wavelength of convective motions on a uniformly heated plane increases with increasing supercritical Rayleigh numbers. Under an insulating lid, the wavelength at the critical Rayleigh number is larger than under a well conducting lid. When heating from below is applied rapidly the wavelength is less than in the corresponding stationary case.