PATTERNS, DEFECTS, AND EVOLUTION OF BÉNARD–MARANGONI CELLS

Abstract

We consider a thin fluid layer of infinite horizontal extent, confined below by a rigid plane and open above to the ambient air, with surface tension linearly depending on the temperature. The fluid is heated from below. First we obtain the weakly nonlinear amplitude equations in specific spatial directions. The procedure yields a set of generalized Ginzburg–Landau equations. Then we proceed to the numerical exploration of the solutions of these equations in finite geometry, hence to the selection of cells as a result of competition between the possible different modes of convection.