Stratified precessional flow in spherical geometry

TL;DR

This study numerically explores how stable and unstable stratification influence precessional flow in spherical geometry, revealing that stable stratification suppresses instability while unstable stratification can either stabilize or destabilize the flow depending on precession rates.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the complex interaction between stratification and precession in spherical flows, highlighting conditions for stabilization and destabilization.

Findings

Stable stratification suppresses precessional instability.

Unstable stratification can stabilize or destabilize flow depending on precession rate.

Precession and stratification interactions are complex and depend on parameters.

Abstract

We investigate numerically in spherical geometry the interaction of stratification with precession. Both stable stratification and unstable stratification are studied. In the parameter regime we are concerned with, stable stratification suppresses the precessional instability, whereas unstable stratification and precession can either stablise or destablise each other at the different precession rates.