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Liquid crystal techniques of visualization in rotating annulus experiments

Abstract

To the well-known rotating annulus experiments we applied liquid crystal techniques of visualization in order to obtain clear video-pictures of internal flow and temperature in the fluid. Then we developed the idea of simultaneously injecting several types of liquid crystals of different temperature ranges to observe the fluid with a wide temperature range. It was shown that with this idea it was possible to take clear video-pictures throughout the whole interior of the fluid. This revealed that the pattern of the bottom flow does not have the characteristics of the Eady type baroclinic waves. Furthermore, the typcial meridional gradient of temperature of the baroclinic wave was directly observed from isothermal lines appearing in the fluid as colour band lines.

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Tajima, T., Kawahira, K. Liquid crystal techniques of visualization in rotating annulus experiments. Experiments in Fluids 14, 65–69 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196989

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196989

Keywords

  • Colour
  • Liquid Crystal
  • Wide Temperature Range
  • Internal Flow
  • Colour Band