Rayleigh-Bénard convection with uniform vertical magnetic field.

Abstract

We present the results of direct numerical simulations of Rayleigh-Bénard convection in the presence of a uniform vertical magnetic field near instability onset. We have done simulations in boxes with square as well as rectangular cross sections in the horizontal plane. We have considered the horizontal aspect ratio η=L(y)/L(x)=1 and 2. The onset of the primary and secondary instabilities are strongly suppressed in the presence of the vertical magnetic field for η=1. The Nusselt number Nu scales with the Rayleigh number Ra close to the primary instability as [{Ra-Ra(c)(Q)}/Ra(c)(Q)](0.91), where Ra(c)(Q) is the threshold for onset of stationary convection at a given value of the Chandrasekhar number Q. Nu also scales with Ra/Q as (Ra/Q)(μ). The exponent μ varies in the range 0.39≤μ≤0.57 for Ra/Q≥25. The primary instability is stationary as predicted by Chandrasekhar. The secondary instability is temporally periodic for Pr=0.1 but quasiperiodic for Pr=0.025 for moderate values of Q. Convective patterns for higher values of Ra consist of periodic, quasiperiodic, and chaotic wavy rolls above the onset of the secondary instability for η=1. In addition, stationary as well as time-dependent cross rolls are observed, as Ra is further raised. The ratio r(o)/Pr is independent of Q for smaller values of Q. The delay in the onset of the oscillatory instability is significantly reduced in a simulation box with η=2. We also observe inclined stationary rolls for smaller values of Q for η=2.