On the flow induced in a thermally stratified fluid by a source of heat

Abstract

The flow produced by an infinitely long horizontal heated strip in a thermally stratified fluid is examined theoretically. For strong stratification a long flat convection cell or tongue results. Profiles of velocity and temperature anomaly are displayed and contrasted with the profiles which would obtain if the temperature anomaly were only a passive tracer. The effects of small nonlineari ties are computed by perturbation methods and the profile alterations thus produced are discussed. A laboratory experiment set up to demonstrate the major features of this circulation is described. Qualitative agreement between theory and experiment is obtained, and certain of the predicted nonlinear effects are observed.