Thermal convection at low temperature (Q1345957)

The problem is studied of how thermal convection commences in a fluid where the heat propagation is governed by equations of Guyer and Krumhansl. By inclusion of the extra terms of the Guyer and Krumhansl theory which are present due to phonon movement, we show that the unphysical instability, whereby convective motion may begin while the fluid is heated from above, may be removed. Precise conditions are given under which oscillatory convection will not occur, and the instability will be by stationary convection due to heating the layer from below.