Bifurcation sequence to chaos in natural convection in a horizontal annulus
is numerically investigated for the fluid of Pr = 0.1. As Ra is increased,
a transition from a steady unicellular flow to an oscillatory multicellula
r flow with a counter-rotating eddy on the top of the annulus occurs. After
the first Hopf bifurcation from steady to monoperiodic flow, a period-3 so
lution first appears. Quasi-periodic flow and two period-doubling bifurcati
ons are recorded before chaos, and a window of period 4 is observed between
chaotic states. (C) 2000 The Japan Society of Fluid Mechanics and Elsevier
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