Nonlinear competition between waves on convective rolls

Abstract

We report experimental observations of confined and temporally modulated states produced by the oscillatory instability of straight convective rolls. For this system we have measured all the critical parameters characterizing the instability. We are thus able to confirm the interpretation of such phenomena proposed by Cross [Phys. Rev. A 38, 3593 (1988)] based on the combination of propagative effects and finite geometry.