T. Watanabe et H. Kaburaki, PARTICLE SIMULATION OF 3-DIMENSIONAL CONVECTION PATTERNS IN A RAYLEIGH-BENARD SYSTEM, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, 56(1), 1997, pp. 1218-1221
The transition of convection patterns in the three-dimensional Rayleig
h-Benard system is simulated using the direct simulation Monte Carlo m
ethod. The simulation region is a rectangular box with an aspect ratio
of 8:8:1, and the number of simulation particles is 2.048 x 10(7). A
hexagonal Bow pattern is observed in the convection state with the Ray
leigh number slightly higher than the critical value. It is found that
the hexagonal flow pattern evolves into a roll pattern with an increa
se in the Rayleigh number. A hysteresis is seen in the transition betw
een the hexagonal and mil patterns.