Effects of a radial temperature gradient on the stability of a wide‐gap annulus

A numerical solution of the differential equations governing the stability of the wide‐gap flow between two concentric cylinders is presented, taking into account the presence of a radial temperature gradient between the two cylinders when they are maintained at different temperatures. The critical Taylor number T c and the critical wavenumber a c are shown graphically for different values of η (the ratio of the radii of two cylinders), μ≤O (the ratio of the angular velocities of the two cylinders) and the positive and negative temperature gradient given by a parameter ± N ( =Ra/ T , where Ra =Rayleigh number). The results are discussed in terms of the parameters η, μ and N .