Thermal Convection in a Fluid Layer Heated From Below and From Within - Implication for Planetary Evolution

Details Thermal Convection in a Fluid Layer Heated From Below and From Within - Implication for Planetary Evolution Thermal Convection in a Fluid Layer Heated From Below and From Within - Implication for Planetary Evolution

Dec 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002agufm.p22c0410c&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2002, abstract #P22C-0410

Statistics

Computation

8121 Dynamics, Convection Currents And Mantle Plumes, 8130 Heat Generation And Transport, 8147 Planetary Interiors (5430, 5724)

Scientific paper

Solid-state thermal convection in terrestrial planets interiors is generated by both volumetric heating (radiogenic elements, secular cooling) and heating from below (cooling of the metallic core). However, the relative importance of plumes emanating from both boundary layers and their interaction is still poorly understood. The aim of the present study is to propose a precise scaling for heat transfer in this heating configuration. Our initial numerical experiments have examined an isoviscous fluid in a Cartesian geometry (both 2D and 3D), since this allows well resolved results to be obtained with modest-scale computation. A relationship assuming that the top and bottom boundary layers are of equal thickness so that the ratio of temperature differences across them varies in a simple way with the fraction of heating from below produces a correct first order scaling. This leads to the prediction that the temperature of the well mixed interior does not vary with the fraction of heat supplied from below. However, in our numerical experiments, horizontally averaged temperature within the well mixed interior for a given amount of heat sources (basal plus internal) varies with the way heat is distributed between the bottom surface and the interior of the layer by an amount that can be significant on scales of interest for planetary evolution. In addition, systematic differences are observed between 2D and 3D numerical experiments ; other variations appear according on the basal heating mode (either flux or temperature can be prescribed). This reflects the dynamics of the interaction of plumes with thermal boundary layers and with each other. We thus propose a more complete scaling based on the influence of a plume on both the boundary layer where it forms and the opposite boundary layer where it produces a stagnation point. This leads to a scaling which predicts that the two boundary layers are of different thickness and allows a more accurate description of temperature in the well mixed interior.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Thermal Convection in a Fluid Layer Heated From Below and From Within - Implication for Planetary Evolution does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Thermal Convection in a Fluid Layer Heated From Below and From Within - Implication for Planetary Evolution, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Thermal Convection in a Fluid Layer Heated From Below and From Within - Implication for Planetary Evolution will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1892051