Open AccessA model of time‐periodic mantle flow
Author(s) -
Busse F. H.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1978.tb04218.x
Subject(s) - buoyancy , perturbation (astronomy) , geology , mechanics , fluid dynamics , thermal conductivity , instability , geophysics , mantle (geology) , oscillation (cell signaling) , temperature gradient , stratification (seeds) , viscous liquid , physics , thermodynamics , meteorology , chemistry , seed dormancy , biochemistry , germination , botany , quantum mechanics , dormancy , biology
Summary. The instability of a layer consisting of a lighter viscous fluid on top of a heavier less viscous fluid is considered in the case when the heavy fluid is adiabatically stratified and the light fluid contains heat sources and possesses a lower heat conductivity. A perturbation in the thickness of the upper fluid layer causes horizontal temperature variations in the lower fluid. The motions induced by thermal buoyancy can interact with the distortion of the interface in such a way that the initial perturbation is reinforced in the form of an overstable oscillation. It is proposed that this mechanism is relevant to the problem of time‐dependent flow in the Earth's mantle.