Taylor Vortices in Wide Spherical Shells

Abstract

It was believed that no Taylor vortices would exist in wide spherical shells with an aspect ratio of $\ensuremath{\beta}>0.24$. In contrast, we have experimentally generated Taylor vortices in a relatively wide spherical shell with $\ensuremath{\beta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.33$ using some special initial conditions. It is found that the Taylor vortices remain very stable in a range of the Reynolds number $467<\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{Re}<2100$, once they are established, in which, normally, the axisymmetric basic state (spherical Couette flow) is preferred. Furthermore, it is interesting that with increasing Reynolds number the Taylor vortices become asymmetric with respect to the equatorial plane.