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Melting and dissolving of a vertical solid surface with laminar compositional convection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2011

Andrew J. Wells  and
M. Grae Worster
Andrew J. Wells*
Affiliation:
Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK
M. Grae Worster
Affiliation:
Institute of Theoretical Geophysics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK
*
†Email address for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

We consider laminar compositional convection of buoyant melt released by ablation of a vertical solid surface into a two-component fluid. Asymptotic solutions are used to describe separate cases: the ablation rate is either controlled by thermal transport, corresponding to melting, or by solutal transport, corresponding to dissolution. Melting is faster and generates a stronger flow than dissolving. We determine the temperature and solute concentration conditions leading to either melting or dissolving and find that these conditions do not vary with the strength of the buoyancy that drives convective flow.

JFM classification

Boundary Layers: Boundary layer structure Convection: Buoyant boundary layers Phase change: Solidification/melting
Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 687 , 25 November 2011 , pp. 118 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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Footnotes

‡

Present address: Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.

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