Plume fragmentation by bulk interactions in turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection.

Using compressed gases with Prandtl numbers near 0.7, we obtained flow visualizations of turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection in a cylindrical sample with an aspect ratio Γ≡D/L≅10 (D is the diameter and L the height) by the shadowgraph method. Focusing on the plumes under the top plate, we found that their length had a log-normal distribution, suggesting a fragmentation process. Fragmentation events could be visually identified in the images and involved plume interactions with bulk fluctuations or upwelling domain walls. We found the mean spacing between plumes to vary with the Rayleigh number in proportion to the volume-averaged Kolmogorov length of the turbulent bulk fluctuations, providing further evidence for plume-bulk interactions.