The horizontal scale of rotating convection in the geostrophic regime

摘要: The horizontal scale of rotating convection with rigid boundary conditions is studied. range Rayleigh number concerned moderate, i.e. large enough to induce a finite-amplitude but small so that the geostrophic processes are significant. On considering an experimental law Nusselt and some constraints elemental processes, can be estimated. This estimation strongly depends on ratio between thicknesses Ekman layer thermal layer, does not depend monotonically number. dependency compatible results Rossby (1969). estimated was checked by laboratory experiments. temperature distribution visualized liquid-crystal capsules dispersed in working fluid. horizontal measured counting vortices. agree fairly well scale.