Melting driven by rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection

We study numerically the melting of a horizontal layer pure solid above convecting its fluid rotating about vertical axis. In regime studied here, with Rayleigh numbers order $10^7$, convection takes form columnar vortices, number and size which depend upon Ekman Prandtl numbers, as well geometry -- periodic or confined. As vary, average area vortices vary in inverse proportion, becoming thinner more numerous decreasing number. The transport heat to phase boundary thereby controlling morphology, characterized by voids formed solid, overall melt rate, increases when lower is governed no-slip rather than stress-free velocity condition. Moreover, are relatively insensitive Stefan number, here inversely proportional latent fusion. For small values reaches slowly evolving geostrophic state wherein nearly all from at an approximately constant rate. this quasi-steady state, we find that Nusselt characterizing flux, co-varies interfacial roughness, for flow parameters considered here. This confluence processes should influence treatment moving problems, particularly those astrophysical geophysical problems where rotational effects important.