Abstract
We present a numerical study of the spontaneous formation of spiral patterns in Rayleigh-Bénard convection in non-Boussinesq fluids. We solve a generalized two-dimensional Swift-Hohenberg equation that includes a quadratic nonlinearity and coupling to mean flow. We show that this model predicts in quantitative detail many of the features observed experimentally in studies of Rayleigh-Bénard convection in gas. In particular, we study the appearance and stability of a rotating spiral state obtained during the transition from an ordered hexagonal state to a roll state.
- Received 24 February 1993
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.47.R2987
©1993 American Physical Society