Double diffusive finger convection at the top of the core

Project description

We expect a layer at the top of the Earth's core in which gradients in chemical composition drive convection while the temperature gradient opposes it. A similar situation is frequently met in the oceans, in which salinity drives convection which is impeded by the temperature layering. Salt fingers appear in this case, which are slender structures in which fluid moves despite a stable density stratification. A similar flow must be expected in the Earth's core, except that the rotation of the Earth presumably matters for core convection whereas it is mostly irrelevant for finger convection in the oceans. This project uses laboratory experiments to determine the effect of global rotation on finger convection and its possible consequences for the Earth's core.