One dimensional models for supercritical and subcritical transitions in rotating convection

Abstract

Numerous study on natural and man made systems including rotating convection report the phenomena of supercritical and subcritical transitions from one state to another with the variation of relevant control parameters. However, the complexity of the rotating convection system even under the idealized Rayleigh-B\'enard geometry, hindered the simplest possible description of these transitions to convection. Here we present an one dimensional description of the stationary subcritical and supercritical transitions to rotating Rayleigh-B\'enard convection both for rigid and free-slip boundary conditions. The analysis of the one dimensional models and performance of three dimensional direct numerical simulations of the system show qualitatively similar results in a wide region of the parameter space. A brief discussion on time dependent convection of overstable origin is also presented.