Transitions between Large-Scale Vortices and Jets in Rotating Rayleigh-Bénard Convection

In this thesis, the transition between Large Scale Vortices (LSVs) and Jets in rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection (RRBC) with a Prandtl number of 2.19 is investigated as domain anisotropy increases. Direct numerical simulations of the 3D complete set of RRBC equations were employed, where domain anisotropy was introduced by making one horizontal side of the computational domain longer than the other. The transition was analyzed by examining flow morphology and employing characteristic quantities that serve as analogs to the order parameter for this transition. Our findings reveal stable flow configurations that depend on the degree of anisotropy, including configurations with only LSVs, LSVs with banded jets, and only jets. Additionally, we observed the occurrence of a hysteresis loop near the transition between jets and LSVs. The transition from LSVs to jets exhibited features of a continuous transition, while the transition from jets to LSVs resembled a discontinuous transition.