EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF SYMMETRICAL BAROCLINIC INSTABILITY BETWEEN TWO CONCENTRIC ROTATING SPHERES

The symmetrical baroclinic instability flow between two concentric rotating spheres is investigated experimentally. The appearance and the size of this instability are examined by their dependence on a wide range of the Reynolds number (Re <= 1200) in one hand and on the aspect ratios Gamma=H/d (14.4 <=Gamma <= 18.5) mm in the other hand. The obtained results allow presenting the evolution of Reynolds and Richardson number according the aspect ratio. It was found that the size and diameter of the baroclinic vortex depend strongly on the aspect ratio and the rotation velocity.