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A theoretical model for horizontal convection at high Rayleigh number

Date

2007

Authors

Hughes, Graham
Griffiths, Ross
Mullarney, J
Peterson, William H

Journal Title

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Volume Title

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Abstract

We present a simple flow model and solution to describe 'horizontal convection' driven by a gradient of temperature or heat flux along one horizontal boundary of a rectangular box. Following laboratory observations of the steady-state convection, the model is based on a localized vertical turbulent plume from a line or point source that is located anywhere within the area of the box and that maintains a stably stratified interior. In contrast to the 'filling box' process, the convective circulation involves vertical diffusion in the interior and a stabilizing buoyancy flux distributed over the horizontal boundary. The stabilizing flux forces the density distribution to reach a steady state. The model predictions compare well with previous laboratory data and numerical solutions. In the case of a point source for the plume (the case which best mimics the localized sinking in the large-scale ocean overturning) the thermal boundary layer is much thicker than that given by the two-dimensional boundary layer scaling of H. T. Rossby (Tellus, vol. 50, 1965, p. 242).

Description

Keywords

Keywords: Boundary layers; Buoyancy; Diffusion; Heat flux; Mathematical models; Numerical methods; Thermal gradients; Turbulence; Convective circulation; Horizontal convection; Rayleigh number; Heat convection; Boundary layers; Buoyancy; Diffusion; Heat convection;

Citation

Source

Journal of Fluid Mechanics

Type

Journal article

Book Title

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Restricted until

2037-12-31