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Fine vortex structure and flow transition to the geostrophic regime in rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection

Jun-Qiang Shi, Hao-Yuan Lu, Shan-Shan Ding, and Jin-Qiang Zhong
Phys. Rev. Fluids 5, 011501(R) – Published 6 January 2020

Abstract

We present spatially resolved measurements of the columnar vortex structures in rotating Rayleigh-Benard convection. The scaled radial profiles of the azimuthal velocity uϕ(r) and vertical vorticity ω(r) of the vortices are analyzed and compared with the predictions of the asymptotic theory. The results reveal that the asymptotic theory predicts accurately uϕ(r) and ω(r) in the geostrophic convection regime. In the weak rotation regime, it is found that the experimental data deviate from the theoretical predictions. Our measurements of the mean velocity, vorticity of the vortices, and the strength of the vortex shield structure all indicate a flow transition from weakly rotating convection to geostrophic convection. Results of the parameter values for the transition are supportive of the scaling relationship obtained from previous heat-transfer measurements.

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  • Received 22 July 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.5.011501

©2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Fluid Dynamics

Authors & Affiliations

Jun-Qiang Shi, Hao-Yuan Lu, Shan-Shan Ding, and Jin-Qiang Zhong*

  • Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology and School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

  • *Corresponding author: jinqiang@tongji.edu.cn

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Vol. 5, Iss. 1 — January 2020

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