Transitions in a stratified Kolmogorov flow

Abstract

We study the Kolmogorov flow with weak stratification. We consider a stabilizing uniform temperature gradient and examine the transitions leading the flow to chaotic states. By solving the equations numerically we construct the bifurcation diagram describing how the Kolmogorov flow, through a sequence of transitions, passes from its laminar solution toward weakly chaotic states. We consider the case when the Richardson number (measure of the intensity of the temperature gradient) is $Ri=10^-5$, and restrict our analysis to the range $0