Bénard Convection — Roll Onset

Rayleigh-Bénard convection: a fluid heated from below becomes unstable when the Rayleigh number Ra = gαΔTd³/νκ exceeds the critical value Ra_c ≈ 1708. Below this threshold, heat conducts; above it, fluid organizes into convection rolls — a canonical example of spontaneous pattern formation from a continuous symmetry breaking.

ΔT (°C) 8.0
Viscosity ν (×10⁻⁶) 1.5
Layer depth (mm) 5.0
Num rolls 4
Ra =  |  Ra_c = 1708  |