Linear Stability Analysis
Linear Stability Analysis
This chapter describes a linear stability analysis (that is, solving for the critical Rayleigh number Ra and mode) that allows readers to check their linear codes against the analytic solution. For this linear analysis, each Fourier mode n can be considered a separate and independent problem. The question that needs to be addressed now is under what conditions—that is, what values of Ra, Prandtl number Pr, and aspect ratio a—will the amplitude of the linear solution grow with time for a given mode n. This is a linear stability problem. The chapter first introduces the linear equations before discussing the linear code and explaining how to find the critical Rayleigh number; in other words, the value of Ra for a and Pr that gives a solution that neither grows nor decays with time. It also shows how the linear stability problem can be solved using an analytic approach.
Keywords: linear stability analysis, critical Rayleigh number, linear code, Fourier mode, Prandtl number, aspect ratio, linear stability problem, linear equations
Princeton Scholarship Online requires a subscription or purchase to access the full text of books within the service. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter.
Please, subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you think you should have access to this title, please contact your librarian.
To troubleshoot, please check our FAQs , and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.