Instability and Convection in Rotating Porous Media: A Review

Abstract

A review on instability and consequent natural convection in rotating porous media is presented. Taylor-Proudman columns and geostrophic flows exist in rotating porous media just the same as in pure fluids. The latter leads to a tendency towards two-dimensionality. Natural convection resulting from density gradients in a gravity field as well as natural convection induced by density gradients due to the centripetal acceleration are being considered. The former is the result of gravity-induced buoyancy, the latter is due to centripetally-induced buoyancy. The effect of Coriolis acceleration is also discussed. Linear stability analysis as well as weak nonlinear solutions are being derived and presented.

Keywords

• rotating flows
• porous media
• natural convection
• instability
• Taylor-Proudman column
• centrifugal buoyancy
• Coriolis acceleration