Traveling waves in a fluid layer submitted to a horizontal temperature gradient

TL;DR

This paper reports experimental observations of traveling waves in a fluid layer with a free surface subjected to a horizontal temperature gradient, analyzing their properties and comparing them to theoretical models.

Contribution

It provides new experimental data on wave behavior in a fluid layer under horizontal thermal gradients and compares these observations with existing theoretical predictions.

Findings

Traveling waves appear above a critical temperature gradient.

Wave sources are generated for small fluid heights.

Stationary patterns form at larger fluid heights.

Abstract

We report experimental observations of traveling waves in a pure fluid with a free surface situated in a long container submitted to a horizontal temperature gradient perpendicular to its large extension. Above a critical value of the gradient and depending on the height of liquid $ h, $ a source of waves is created in the container for small value of $ h, $ while the system exhibits stationary patterns for larger values of $ h. $ The spatio-temporal properties of the waves are studied and compared to theoretical predictions. Email contact: daviaud@amoco.saclay.cea.fr