Chemical waves in a thin layer of a Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction solution induce convective flow in the reaction medium. The mechanism of this chemically driven convection is investigated with space-resolved velocimetry, and simulated numerically solving modified Oregonator model equations and the Navier-Stokes equation. To decide whether the flow is driven by surface tension gradients or density gradients the results of the simulations are compared with experimental data. Analysis of the vertical distribution of the horizontal flow velocity suggests that in the mechanism of flow generation surface effects are dominant. © 1996 The American Physical Society.

• Received 12 February 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.53.6056