Effects of spatial disorder on the transition to Taylor vortex flow

Citation
Bd. Painter et Rp. Behringer, Effects of spatial disorder on the transition to Taylor vortex flow, EUROPH LETT, 44(5), 1998, pp. 599-605
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
EUROPHYSICS LETTERS
ISSN journal
02955075 → ACNP
Volume
44
Issue
5
Year of publication
1998
Pages
599 - 605
Database
ISI
SICI code
0295-5075(199812)44:5<599:EOSDOT>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
Using particle imaging velocimetry (PIV), we investigate the effects of fix ed spatial disorder in a Taylor-Couette system near the onset of Taylor-Vor tex flow. We induce small spatially frozen variations in the local control parameter of the system by varying the radius of the inner cylinder along t he cylinder axis, y. For a smooth inner cylinder the bifurcation to Taylor vortex rolls is instrumentally sharp. With a 12% variation in the local Rey nolds number Re(y) we find localized rolls with an amplitude that varies ex ponentially in the spatially averaged Re. Smoothed bifurcations and localiz ed flows have been seen in recent numerical studies of systems with spatial ly varying control parameters and in convection of a fluid in a porous medi um. The secondary transition to wavy how is significantly elevated in the s ystem with spatially varying Re(y).