Abstract
Steady axi-symmetric flow in a rotating annulus with differential heating is computed with a highresolution full-non-linear model in two dimensions. The velocity and temperature fields are investigated for a wide range of external parameters, and their dependence on the parameters is discussed.
A simple diagnostic model of the steady axi-symmetric flow is constructed to understand intuitivelyhow the velocity and temperature fields are determined for given external parameters. The model is applicable to both the conduction-dominated flow and convection-dominated flow, and explains qualitatively how the heat transfer process is determined in each flow. Moreover, the model gives several important quantities characterizing the axi-symmetric flow, such as the intensity of the meridional circulation, that of the zonal flow and the horizontal temperature difference in the interior, for a wide range of the parameters. The results in the simple model agree well with those obtained in the full-non-linear model.
