Phenomenological Theory for Spatiotemporal Chaos in Rayleigh-Benard Convection

Abstract

We present a phenomenological theory for spatiotemporal chaos (STC) in Rayleigh-Benard convection, based on the generalized Swift-Hohenberg model. We apply a random phase approximation to STC and conjecture a scaling form for the structure factor $S(k)$ with respect to the correlation length $\xi_2$. We hence obtain analytical results for the time-averaged convective current $J$ and the time-averaged vorticity current $\Omega$. We also define power-law behaviors such as $J \sim \epsilon^\mu$, $\Omega \sim \epsilon^\lambda$ and $\xi_2 \sim \epsilon^{-\nu}$, where $\epsilon$ is the control parameter. We find from our theory that $\mu = 1$, $\nu \ge 1/2$ and $\lambda = 2 \mu + \nu$ for phase turbulence and that $\mu = 1$, $\nu \ge 1/2$ and $\lambda = 2 \mu + 2 \nu$ for spiral-defect chaos. These predictions, together with the scaling conjecture for $S(k)$, are confirmed by our numerical results. Finally we suggest that Porod's law, $S(k) \sim 1/\xi_2 k^3$ for large $k$, might be valid in STC.