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In laboratory experiments, horizontal translational motion of columnar vortices formed in rotating Rayleigh-Benard convection was investigated. Two types of measurements, vertical velocity fields and horizontal temperature fields, were conducted with water as the test fluid. Using particle image velocimetry, the vertical velocity fields determined the parameter range at which the quasi-two-dimensional columnar vortices emerged. Locally, the duration characteristics of the columns, evaluated with their vertical coherence, indicate the minimum time scale of translational motion of the vortices in the horizontal plane. Vortex tracking of the horizontal temperature fields over long observation periods (> 103 s) was conducted using encapsulated thermochromic liquid crystal visualization. Two cylindrical vessels with different radii showed the emergence of the centrifugal effect in O.> 102 s / despite the small Froude number (Fr < 0 : 1). Further, in the horizontal plane the columnar vortices behaved in a random-walk-like diffusive motion. The statistically calculated mean-squared displacements indicated anomalous diffusive motion of the columns; displacement increasing with time as t with 6D 1. We discuss the causes of this anomaly in both the instantaneous and long-term statistical data gathered from experimental observations over different time scales. The enclosure effect from the repulsion of up-welling and down-welling vortices ensures that vortices diffuse only little, resulting in a sub-diffusive (decelerated) motion < 1 in O. 101 s /. With this weak centrifugal contribution, the translational motion of the columns slowly accelerates in the radial direction and thereby yields a super-diffusive (accelerated) motion > 1 in O. (102 s).

Large-scale, coherent flow structures of Rayleigh-Bénard convection in a finite liquid metal layer were examined experimentally by means of ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry. The fluid layer with aspect ratio of five and L = 40 mm in height was filled with eutectic alloy of GaInSn (Prandtl number, Pr = 0.03), and multiple ultrasonic transducers for the velocimetry were mounted in the side wall of the vessel to capture three-dimensional structures of the convection. Spatio-tempral velocity maps obtained at different Rayleigh numbers in the range, 7900 < Ra < 180000, elucidated emergences of wavy-roll-like coherent structures, where the roll axis is determined quasi-randomly. The roll structure takes transition with reducing the number of rolls from four to three as Ra increases via intermediate regime between the two conditions, four or three rolls. With further increase of Ra a cellular structure with characteristics of fully developed thermal turbulence occupies the entire fluid layer. We will discuss details on derivation of the power law and relation with turbulent superstructures that have recently been discussed.

Large-scale circulations of Rayleigh-Bénard convection in a finite liquid metal layer were examined experimentally by means of ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry. The fluid layer with aspect ratio of five and L = 40 mm in height was filled with eutectic alloy of GaInSn (Prandtl number, Pr = 0.03), and multiple ultrasonic transducers for the velocimetry were mounted in the side wall of the vessel to capture 3D structures of the convection.

MHD Rayleigh-Bénard convection was studied experimentally using the eutectic metal alloy GaInSn inside a box having a square horizontal cross section and an aspect ratio of 5. Flow measurements were performed by means of ultrasound Doppler velocimetry that can capture time variations of instantaneous velocity profiles. Applying a horizontal magnetic field organizes the convective motion into a flow pattern of quasi-two dimensional rolls arranged parallel to the magnetic field [1], [2]. If the Rayleigh number (Ra) is increased over a certain threshold Ra/Q, whereby Q is the Chandrasekhar number, the flow undergoes a transition to turbulence. Besides the primary convection rolls the measurements reveal regular flow oscillations arising from 2D and 3D deformations of the rolls, Ekman-pumping induced flow as well as smaller side vortices that develop around the convection rolls [3]. Our findings demonstrate the importance to take 3D flow effects into account in order to explain the observed flow structures, which are often considered as quasi 2D. The comparison between the experiments and accompanying direct numerical simulations shows a very good agreement.

We performed laboratory experiments on Rayleigh-Benard convection with a liquid metal in a square box geometry having an aspect ratio five. Horizontal velocity profiles of convective flow were measured at several lines by using ultrasonic velocity profiling. By combining the information from profiles, we can reconstruct organized large-scale flow structures with turbulent fluctuations. Systematic variation of the structure was detected with increasing the Rayleigh number (Ra) from 10^4 to 10^5; a quasi-two-dimensional roll changes to a cell having a relatively larger horizontal scale. In addition, we found that the large-scale structure, whether it is roll or cell, show quasi-periodic oscillation whose representative period is approximately same as the circulation time of the large-scale flow. We also performed numerical simulations of convection with the same geometry as our experiments by setting a small Prandtl number (Pr=0.025) like a liquid metal. Quantitative comparison on the velocity profiles between experiments and simulations provided quite satisfactory agreement, and we analyzed the whole structure of the flow and the style of oscillation in detail based on the result of simulation. By integrating results from experiments and simulations, we propose a scaling low on the Ra dependence of horizontal size of large-scale flow structure, and estimate an enlarged value of effective momentum diffusivity by turbulence in a low Pr convection.

One of the classical problems in fluid dynamics is the Rayleigh-Bénard convection (RBC) where a fluid layer is exposed to a temperature difference ΔT between a colder lid and a warmer bottom. RBC under the influence of a steady magnetic field is of particular interest in geo- and astrophysics, but has also some relevance for technical applications such as the use of liquid metals for new type of batteries or heat removals in fusion blankets. In this paper we present flow measurements conducted in various geometries and magnetic field configurations. Systematic flow measurements were performed by means of the ultrasound Doppler velocimetry (UDV). Experiments were carried out in GaInSn using a cylindrical fluid vessel in a vertical magnetic field and a rectangular container exposed to a horizontal magnetic field. Various flow regimes have been identified by the velocity measurements, in particular, we studied the transition from a quasi-two-dimensional state towards a three-dimensional flow occurring with decreasing magnetic field strength.

We report laboratory experiments of Rayleigh-Bénard convection with a liquid metal, Prandtl number Pr = 0.03, in a rectangular cell with a moderate aspect ratio. Rayleigh number, Ra, was set at a range from 7.9 × 10^3 to 3.5 × 10^5 at which the thermal turbulence regime is expected. Multiple horizontal velocity profiles in the fluid layer by ultrasonic velocity profiling elucidated formations of several large scale flow structures with periodic oscillations. The flow structure has transitions as increasing Ra from a quasi-two-dimensional roll-like structure to a three-dimensional cell-like structure via unstable intermediate regimes with stepwise increase of its horizontal scale. By using observed Ra dependences of the frequency of oscillation and the velocity of large scale flow, we made up a model to explain the increase of horizontal scale. We evaluated effective viscosities and diffusivities based on the turbulent fluctuations, and found that the morphology of roll-like structure can be understood by using these effective values.

MHD Rayleigh-Bénard convection was studied experimentally using the eutectic metal alloy GaInSn inside a box having a square horizontal cross section and an aspect ratio of length/height = 5/1. Systematic flow measurements were performed by means of ultrasound Doppler velocimetry that can capture time variations of instantaneous velocity profiles. Applying a horizontal magnetic field organizes the convective motion into a flow pattern of quasi-two dimensional rolls arranged parallel to the magnetic field [1], [2]. If the Rayleigh number (Ra) is increased over a certain threshold Ra/Q, whereby Q is the Chandrasekhar number, the convection flow undergoes a transition to turbulence. Besides the primary convection rolls the flow measurements reveal regular flow oscillations arising from 2D and 3D deformations of the rolls, Ekman-pumping induced flow as well as smaller side vortices that develop around the convection rolls. The aim of this paper is to give a detailed description of the flow field, which is often considered as quasi 2D. In this paper we demonstrate the importance to take 3D flow effects into account in order to explain the observed flow features. The experiments are accompanied by direct numerical simulations. The comparison between the DNS and the flow measurements shows a very good agreement.

Short-period oscillations on convection rolls in Rayleigh-Bénard convection affected by a horizontal magnetic field confined in moderate aspect ratio box were invested experimentally. Detailed measurements of temperature and velocity fluctuations corresponding to the oscillations elucidated that the oscillation around its onset is two dimensional and may be originated in absolute instability of recirculation vortices formed flow separations due to large inertia of the main convection rolls restricted by Lorenz force.

MHD Rayleigh-Bénard convection was studied experimentally using a liquid metal inside a box with square horizontal cross section and aspect ratio five. Systematic flow measurements were performed by means of ultrasound Doppler velocimetry that can capture time variations of instantaneous velocity profiles. Applying a horizontal magnetic field organizes the convective motion into a flow pattern of quasi-two dimensional rolls arranged parallel to the magnetic field. If the Rayleigh number (Ra) is increased over a certain threshold Ra/Q, whereby Q is the Chandrasekhar number, the convection flow undergoes a transition to turbulence. We explore the flow structure in a weakly turbulent convection pattern by means of experiments and by means of numerical simulations.

Rayleigh-Benard convection has been investigated inside a liquid metal layer under the influence of a DC magnetic field. Similar configurations can be found in geophysical or steel production. Our group reported recently that spontaneous flow reversals of quasi two-dimensional rolls randomly occur in Rayleigh-Benard convection of liquid metal exposed to a horizontal magnetic field (Yanagisawa, et al., PRE, 2011). In fluid layers with relatively large aspect ratios the flow pattern consisting of several convection rolls appears to be almost isotropic. However, the rolls are aligned with the magnetic field direction if the Lorentz force becomes either comparable to the buoyancy or larger. In our experiment, where the fluid layer has a dimension of 200x200x40 mm (corresponding to an aspect ratio of 5), the convection pattern can show 3, 4 or 5 rolls regimes depending on the Rayleigh number Ra and the Chandrasekhar number Q. Flow reversals occur spontaneously between these steady states in the Ra-Q parameter space.