Bifurcation phenomena in nonaxisymmetric Taylor-Couette flow

Taylor-Couette flow subject to a nonaxisymmetric external Coriolis force is studied experimentally. The Coriolis force is induced by placing the Taylor-Couette apparatus on a turntable such that the flow is nonaxisymmetrically perturbed. This symmetry-breaking perturbation affects the entire sequence of bifurcations found in the unperturbed system. We identify the dynamical regimes encountered as a function of two control parameters: a Reynolds number and a dimensionless turntable rotation rate. The bifurcation map for this system is presented, and we show that there is nonhysteretic reemergent order as a function of either control parameter. We also find a possible codimension-2 bifurcation point beyond which occurs a nonhysteretic direct bifurcation to turbulence from the time-independent base flow.