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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Ultrasound Velocity Measurement in a Liquid Metal Electrode
Published on: August 5, 2015
Spontaneous flow reversals in Rayleigh-Bénard convection of a liquid metal
Takatoshi Yanagisawa1, Yasuko Yamagishi, Yozo Hamano
1Institute for Research on Earth Evolution, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan. yanagi@jamstec.go.jp
Abstract:
We report a finding of spontaneous flow reversals of roll-like patterns in liquid gallium Rayleigh-Bénard convection. The vessel has a square geometry with an aspect ratio of 5, and a horizontal magnetic field is applied to align the rolls. The flow patterns were visualized by ultrasonic velocity measurements, and the processes of the reversal were clearly observed. The basic flow pattern observed in the vessel is a four-roll structure with its axis parallel to the magnetic field. Emergence of a new circulation at a corner of the vessel causes flow reversal with reorganization of the whole pattern. The flow keeps relatively steady four-roll structure for most of the duration, while the reversal of it is over in a short time. The reversals of the flow occur randomly with the interval time between reversals being much longer than the circulation time.
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