Traveling and Standing Waves in Binary-Fluid Convection in Finite Geometries

Abstract

The effect of finite geometry on the competition between traveling waves and standing waves in systems with a Hopf bifurcation to a state with spatial structure is considered in the linear and weakly nonlinear regimes. The spatial structure observed by Kolodner et al. in binary-fluid convection is explained in terms of the reflection of the linear traveling waves. The reflection coefficient is calculated, and is found to go to zero as the frequency of the waves becomes small. The pattern expected in a saturated nonlinear state is discussed.