Vibrational dynamics of a light spherical body in a rotating cylinder filled with a fluid

The behavior of a light spherical body in a rotating horizontal cylindrical cavity filled with a low-viscosity fluid is experimentally investigated both in the absence and in the presence of transverse vibrations. The system is in a centrifuged state. Mean rotation of the sphere relative to the cavity is found to exist. In the absence of the vibrations slow lagging rotation of the body is due to the gravity field. With increase in the cavity rotation velocity the intensity of differential rotation reduces. The vibrations lead to the excitation of differential rotation of the body, either anticipating or lagging, due to the resonance excitation of its inertial oscillations. The differential rotation of the body leads to the formation of the cylindrical Taylor-Proudman column. With increase in the column rotation velocity the instability of its boundary manifests itself as an azimuthal two-dimensional wave.