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Dynamics of the large-scale circulation in turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection with modulated rotation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2015

Jin-Qiang Zhong ,
Sebastian Sterl  and
Hui-Min Li
Jin-Qiang Zhong*
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology and School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Sebastian Sterl
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology and School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China Physics of Fluids Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
Hui-Min Li
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology and School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
*
†Email address for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

We present measurements of the azimuthal rotation velocity $\dot{{\it\theta}}(t)$ and thermal amplitude ${\it\delta}(t)$ of the large-scale circulation in turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection with modulated rotation. Both $\dot{{\it\theta}}(t)$ and ${\it\delta}(t)$ exhibit clear oscillations at the modulation frequency ${\it\omega}$. Fluid acceleration driven by oscillating Coriolis force causes an increasing phase lag in $\dot{{\it\theta}}(t)$ when ${\it\omega}$ increases. The applied modulation produces oscillatory boundary layers and the resulting time-varying viscous drag modifies ${\it\delta}(t)$ periodically. Oscillation of $\dot{{\it\theta}}(t)$ with maximum amplitude occurs at a finite modulation frequency ${\it\omega}^{\ast }$. Such a resonance-like phenomenon is interpreted as a result of optimal coupling of ${\it\delta}(t)$ to the modulated rotation velocity. We show that an extended large-scale circulation model with a relaxation time for ${\it\delta}(t)$ in response to the modulated rotation provides predictions in close agreement with the experimental results.

JFM classification

Geophysical and Geological Flows: Rotating flows Turbulent Flows: Turbulent convection
Type
Rapids
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 778 , 10 September 2015 , R4
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Copyright
© 2015 Cambridge University Press 

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