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Bounds for rotating convection at infinite Prandtl number from semidefinite programs

A. Tilgner

  • Institute of Astrophysics and Geophysics, University of Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany

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Phys. Rev. Fluids 7, 093501 – Published 16 September, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.7.093501

Abstract

Bounds for the poloidal and toroidal kinetic energies and the heat transport are computed numerically for rotating convection at infinite Prandtl number with both no-slip and stress-free boundaries. The constraints invoked in this computation are linear or quadratic in the problem variables and lead to the formulation of a semidefinite program. The bounds behave as a function of Rayleigh number at fixed Taylor number qualitatively in the same way as the quantities being bounded. The bounds are zero for Rayleigh numbers smaller than the critical Rayleigh number for the onset of convection, they increase rapidly with Rayleigh number for Rayleigh numbers just above onset, and increase more slowly at large Rayleigh numbers. If the dependencies on Rayleigh number are approximated by power laws, one obtains larger exponents from bounds on the Nusselt number for Rayleigh numbers just above onset than from the actual Nusselt number dependence known for large but finite Prandtl number. The wavelength of the linearly unstable mode at the onset of convection appears as a relevant length scale in the bounds.

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Phys. Rev. Fluids 7, 093501– Published 16 September, 2022
  • Received 24 April 2022
  • Accepted 30 August 2022
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