Soret-driven thermosolutal convection induced by inclined thermal and solutal gradients in a shallow horizontal layer of a porous medium

Abstract

The stability of Soret-driven thermosolutal convection in a shallow horizontal layer of a porous medium subjected to inclined thermal and solutal gradients of finite magnitude is investigated theoretically by means of a linear stability analysis. The horizontal components of these gradients induce a Hadley circulation, which becomes unstable when vertical components are sufficiently large. We employed a two-term Galerkin approximation for various modes of instability. The effect of the Soret parameter on the mechanism of instability of the thermosolutal convection is investigated. Results are presented for various values of the governing parameters of the flow. It is observed that the Soret parameter has a significant effect on convective instability and this is discussed.