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Heat transfer and interfacial temperature of two‐layered convection: Implications for the D″‐mantle coupling
Author(s) -
Namiki Atsuko,
Kurita Kei
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2002gl015809
Subject(s) - heat flux , buoyancy , convection , heat transfer , mantle (geology) , thermodynamics , materials science , convective heat transfer , thermal , scaling , natural convection , mechanics , geophysics , geology , physics , geometry , mathematics
We performed laboratory measurements of the heat flux and the interfacial temperature of two‐layered thermal convection. Experiments show that the scaling law of the heat flux (Nu‐Ra relation) can be classified by the buoyancy number B . The heat flux under B > 1 follows the well‐known Nu‐Ra relation. However, under B < 1, undulations develop at the interface, and heat flux is systematically enhanced. The interfacial temperature is determined only by the ratio of physical properties between the upper and lower layers. Our results suggest that the existence of less viscous and slightly denser D″ than the overlying mantle would enhance the heat transfer from the core to the mantle.