An Experimental Study of Baroclinic Flows in an Open Cylinder

Baroclinic flows in an open cylinder with rim heating and center cooling are studied by laboratory experiments. The experiments have been carried out at room temperature, kept as close as possible to the rim temperature, without any additional heating such as the internal heating due to incandescent lights employed by Spence and Fultz (1977). Visual observations and temperature measurements of the top-surface have shown that axisymmetric time-independent flows, steady waves and regular periodic vacillations occur, in addition to irregular wavy flows. A régime diagram for these flows is presented with the fluid depth as ordinate and the angular speed as abscissa. Flow characteristics revealed by the temperature measurements are also described.