Initial flow development due to Marangoni convection in a mass transfer system (Q1068623)

A linear stability analysis is used to investigate the onset of convection in a mass transfer system due to surface tension differences. Instead of a steady linear concentration distribution as basic state we make a detailed analysis of the mass transfer due to diffusion in the initially quiescent medium and obtain a time-dependent basic concentration distribution. The critical wavenumber, at neutral stability, and the preferred wavenumber, with largest growth factor, are time dependent and both decrease in time.