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# End-wall effects on the transition between Taylor vortices and spiral vortices

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Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität des Saarlandes, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
(Impact Factor: 2.29). 06/2010; 81(6 Pt 2):066313. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.81.066313
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT

We present numerical simulations as well as experimental results concerning transitions between Taylor vortices and spiral vortices in the Taylor-Couette system with rigid, nonrotating lids at the cylinder ends. These transitions are performed by wavy structures appearing via a secondary bifurcation out of Taylor vortices and spirals, respectively. In the presence of these axial end walls, pure spiral solutions do not occur as for axially periodic boundary conditions but are substituted by primary bifurcating, stable wavy spiral structures. Similarly to the periodic system, we found a transition from Taylor vortices to wavy spirals mediated by so-called wavy Taylor vortices and, on the other hand, a transition from wavy spirals to Taylor vortices triggered by a propagating defect. We furthermore observed and investigated the primary bifurcation of wavy spirals out of the basic circular Couette flow with Ekman vortices at the cylinder ends.

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