Abstract
In modelling atmospheric flows the baroclinic instability of the flow in a differentially heated rotating annulus plays a central role. This paper deals with an experimental study using LDV and flow visualization techniques. Usually the temperature difference, ΔT, was kept fixed while the angular velocity, ω, was varied. On crossing the stability boundary, the primary bifurcation, the basic flow gives way to a baroclinic wave flow. For a given annulus geometry the wave number, m, of the first wave pattern was found to be uniquely defined by ΔT. The measured critical values of ω, ω crit, agree reasonably well with those obtained by other authors. On increasing ω above ω crit the wave number changed, this process showing hysteresis. The situation might indicate secondary bifurcation phenomena. Flow visualization using aluminium particles shows surface flow details.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barcilon, V. 1964: Role of the Ekman layers in the stability of the symmetric regime obtained in a rotating annulus. J. Atmos. Sci. 21, 291–299
Fein, J. S. 1973: An experimental study of the effects of the upper boundary condition on the thermal convection in a rotating differentially heated cylindrical annulus of water. Geophys. Fluid Dyn. 5, 213–248
Gill, A. 1982: Atmosphere-ocean dynamics. International geophysics Series. Vol. 30. New York: Academic Press
Hide, R.; Mason, P. J. 1975: Sloping convection in a rotating fluid. Adv. Phys. 24, 47–100
Koschmieder, E. L.; White, H. D. 1981: Convection in a rotating, laterally heated annulus. Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dyn. 18, 279–299
Pfister, G.; Gerdts, U.; Lorenzen, A.; Schätzel, K. 1983: Hardware and software implementation of on line velocity correlation measurements in oscillatory and turbulent rotational Couette flow. In: Photon correlation techniques. (ed. Schulz-Dubois, O.). pp. 256–261. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer (Springer Series Optical Sc. 38)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper is dedicated to Prof. Dr. K. Gersten on the occasion of his 60th birthday
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lorenzen, A., Meier, G.E.A., Assenheimer, M. et al. Primary and secondary bifurcation in baroclinic instability. Experiments in Fluids 8, 286–290 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00187231
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00187231