Branching of an axially symmetric convective flow

The stability of an axisymmetric convective gas flow with respect to finite disturbances of the bottom temperature is studied numerically using a finite-difference method. The convective flow considered approximately describes the free convection developing in the atmosphere due to heating of the substrate surface. The temperature disturbance used increases the intensity of one of two possible flows and suppresses the other flow, with the opposite signs of the vortices. Using the methods of numerical experiment, the corresponding problem of branching of the solution is examined. It is shown that the transformation of one flow into the other far from the threshold of the onset of convection requires substantial disturbances of the temperature.