Stability and instability of thermosolutal convection in a Brinkman–Darcy–Kelvin–Voigt fluid with couple stress effect

Abstract

In this article, the phenomenon of thermosolutal convection within a fluid characterized by the Brinkman–Darcy–Kelvin–Voigt (BDKV) model is delved into, while the impact of couple stresses on this process is considered. Both linear instability and nonlinear stability analyses are encompassed in our investigation. Several noteworthy observations have been made. When the fluid layer is heated from below and salt is introduced from above, it is found that the points at which stability and instability thresholds are reached coincide. This alignment is supported by the validity of the linear theory in predicting the initiation of convection under these conditions. However, the scenario changes when the layer is salted from the bottom while being heated. In this case, the stability thresholds remain constant, regardless of variations in the salt Rayleigh number. This discrepancy between the thresholds of linear instability and nonlinear stability is deemed significant. To gain a deeper understanding, numerical computations were conducted to identify and thoroughly discuss the thresholds of linear instability. These findings offer valuable insights into the behavior of the system under study. It is indicated by our results that parameters such as Brinkman, couple stresses, and Kelvin–Voigt contribute to stabilizing the system. Additionally, it was noted that the salt Rayleigh number has a stabilizing effect when the layer is salted from below, whereas it has a destabilizing effect when salt is introduced from above.