Multiple liquid crystal techniques of visualization in rotating annulus experiments

Abstract

In the well-known rotating annulus experiments we applied liquid crystal techniques of visualization in order to study the three-dimensional structure of differentially heated rotating fluid. Then we developed an idea of injecting several types of liquid crystal with different temperature ranges simultaneously for observing the fluid having a wide temperature. We call it multiple liquid crystal techniques (MLCT). Furthermore we use an apparatus having double rotating disks, on the small one of which an annular tank is put and on the large one a video-camera is set. In this talk we show, (1) simultaneous observations of surface flow and vertical one in a meridional sheet, (2)simultaneous observations of upper and lower flows in baroclinic wave, and (3) to what extent MLCT is useful for the quantative measurement of temperature in the analysis of zonal velocities of the axially symmetric flow by the wind thermal equation.