The impact of domain aspect ratio on the inverse cascade in rotationally constrained convection

Rotationally constrained convective flows are characterized as buoyantly unstable flows with a primary geostrophic balance (i.e. a pointwise balance between the Coriolis and pressure gradient forces). Such flows are known to occur within planetary and stellar interiors and also within isolated regions of the worlds oceans. Rapidly rotating Rayleigh-B\’enard convection represents the simplest paradigm for investigations. Recent numerical studies, performed in square domains, have discovered the existence of a strong non-local inverse energy cascade that results in a box filling dipole vortex upon which geostrophic turbulent convection resides. Utilizing the non-hydrostatic quasi-geostrophic equations, the effect of domain aspect ratio on the inverse energy cascade is explored. As the domain aspect ratio becomes anisotropy it is demonstrated that the large-scale states evolve from vortical dipoles to jets. Properties of these jets will be presented and discussed.