Global nonlinear exponential stability of the conduction-diffusion solution for Schmidt numbers greater than Prandtl numbers (Q5952262)

The nonlinear exponential stability of the conduction-diffusion solution of a binary fluid mixture heated and salted from below is studied in the case of a horizontal layer when the Schmidt numbers are bigger then the Prandtl numbers (i.e. when the linear theory does not exclude Hopf-type bifurcations at the onset of convection). For any boundary condition (rigid or stress-free) the coincidence of the critical linear \(R_L^2\) and nonlinear \(R_E^2\) Rayleigh numbers is shown when the Rayleigh numbers for the concentration \(C^2\) are small. This result is obtained using a Lyapunov function equivalent to the classical energy and choosing in an optimal way the Lyapunov parameters. Critical nonlinear Rayleigh numbers close to the linear ones are also obtained for a large solute concentration.