Two-dimensional infinite Prandtl number convection: structure of bifurcated solutions (Q885878)

The author considers a special case of the 2D-Boussinesq equations, namely the case where the Prandtl number Pr \(=\infty\). As a result he obtains the system \[ \nabla p-\Delta u-RTk=0,\quad u=(u_1,u_2),\quad k=(0,1),\quad \partial_tT+(u\nabla)T-\Delta T=0,\quad \text{div}\,u=0.\tag{1} \] (1) admits a trivial solution \(u_0=0\), \(p_0\), \(\theta\). Expanding (1) around this trivial solution and after relabeling variables one obtains the system \[ \nabla p-\Delta u-\sqrt{R}Tk=0,\quad \partial_tT+(u\nabla)T-\Delta T-\sqrt{R}u_2=0;\quad \text{div\,}u=0.\tag{2} \] The boundary conditions are \[ u(x_1,x_2,t)=u(x_1+kL,x_2,t);\quad T(x_1,x_2,t)=T(x_1+kL,x_2,t)\tag{3} \] for \(k\in\mathbb Z\); \(u_2=T=0\) at \(x_2=0,1\); \(\partial_{x_2}u_1=0\) at \(x_2=0,1\). In order to apply results from dynamical system theory, (2), (3) is put into an abstract form, i.e. after the introduction of appropriate spaces in which to interpret (2), (3), system (2) assumes the form \[ \partial_tv=L_\lambda v+G(\lambda,v); \quad v(0)=v_0.\tag{4} \] Here \(\text{dom}(L_\lambda)=H^1\) with \(H^1\hookrightarrow H\) densely and compactly embedded into \(H\), the space underlying (4). \(L_\lambda\) is the generator of a holomorphic semigroup while the nonlinearity \(G(\lambda,\cdot)\) maps a suitable fractional power space \(H_\alpha=\text{dom}(L^\alpha_\lambda)\) smoothly into \(H\) for some \(\alpha\in(0,1)\). Based on spectral properties of the generator \(L_\lambda\) for values of \(\lambda\) in a neighbourhood of a critical value \(\lambda_0\), the author applies a center manifold theorem in order to establish the existence of a centermanifold \(M_\lambda\) for (4) for values \(|\lambda-\lambda_0|\) small. The author then defines the notion of attractor bifurcation (def. 3.3, 3.4) and then proceeds to prove a series of theorems related to this notion. Thus Thm. 3.7 establishes the existence of a bifurcating attractor \(\Sigma_\lambda\) while Thm. 3.8 asserts that \(\Sigma_\lambda\) consists of exactly one cycle of steady-state solutions, moreover that \(\Sigma_\lambda\) is homeomorphic to the circle \(S^1\). The proof is by computation and based on the fact that thanks to the stress-free boundary conditions (3), spectrum and eigenfunctions of \(L_\lambda\) can be computed explicitly.