The effects of Mach number and rotation on heat transport in stratified convection

ORAL

Abstract

We use the Dedalus pseudospectral framework to study fully compressible convection in the context of plane-parallel, polytropically stratified atmospheres. We perform a suite of 2D and 3D simulations in which we vary the initial superadiabaticity and the Rayleigh number (Ra) while fixing the initial density stratification, aspect ratio, and Prandtl number. The evolved value of the Mach number (Ma) is primarily controlled by the superadiabaticity. The evolved heat transport, quantified by the Nusselt number (Nu), follows scaling relationships similar to those found in the well-studied, incompressible Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard problem. This scaling holds up in both 2D and 3D and is not appreciably affected by the magnitude of Ma. First results on rotating atmospheres are presented.

–

Authors

  • Evan H. Anders

    Dept. Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado -- Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA

  • Benjamin Brown

    Dept. Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado -- Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA, Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado

  • Keaton Burns

    Dept. Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Daniel Lecoanet

    Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA, Princeton Center for Theoretical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton University, Princeton University, Princeton Univ

  • Geoffrey Vasil

    School of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia, School of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, University of Sydney

  • Jeffrey S. Oishi

    Dept. Physics & Astronomy, Bates College, Lewiston, ME 04240, USA, Bates College