Convective flows in a two-layer system with a temperature gradient along the interface

The nonlinear stability of two superposed horizontal liquid layers bounded by two solid planes and subjected to a horizontal temperature gradient, is investigated. Two types of boundary conditions, periodic boundary conditions and heat-insulated lateral walls, are considered. The nonlinear simulations of the wavy convective regimes for a particular set of fluids, are performed. The dependence of the direction of the wave propagation depends on two factors, which are studied, the ratio of the layers thicknesses and the Marangoni number. (C) 2006 American Institute of Physics.