Variable viscosity effects on the onset of convection in porous media

Abstract

The onset of convection in a horizontal, isotropic, water‐saturated porous medium is considered. The temperature difference between the top and bottom is as large as 250 °C. The effects of an eightfold variation in kinematic viscosity are included. The critical Rayleigh number is found to be substantially reduced from the classical value although the associated wavenumber is nearly the same. Neutral mode streamline and isotherm patterns are considerably distorted in the vertical direction in distinction to the symmetric patterns found in the constant viscosity classical calculation.