Turbulent radial thermal counterflow in the framework of the HVBK model

Abstract

We apply the coarse-grained Hall-Vinen-Bekarevich-Khalatnikov (HVBK) equations to model the statistically steady-state, turbulent, cylindrically symmetric radial counterflow generated by a moderately large heat flux from the surface of a cylinder immersed in superfluid $^4$He. We show that a time-independent solution exists only if a spatial non-uniformity of temperature and the dependence on temperature of the thermodynamic properties are accounted for. We demonstrate the formation of a thermal boundary layer whose thickness grows with temperature of the cylinder's surface, and analyze the properties of the flow in the radial direction, including the local average vortex line density.