Planetary Core‐Style Rotating Convective Flows in Paraboloidal Laboratory Experiments

Abstract Turbulent convection in a planet's outer core is simulated here using thermally‐driven, free surface paraboloidal laboratory annulus. We show that the rapidly rotating dynamics free‐surface annuli are similar those planetary spherical shell geometries. Three experimental cases carried out, respectively, at 35 revolutions per minute (rpm), 50 and 60 rpm. Thermal Rossby waves detected full disk thermographic images of fluid's surface. Ultrasonic flow velocity measurements reveal presence multiple azimuthal (zonal) jets, with successively more jets forming higher rotation rate cases. The jets' cylindrical radial extent well approximated by Rhines scale. Over time, zonal migrate to larger position migration rates good agreement prior theoretical estimates. Our results suggest will be comprised structures found other turbulent geophysical fluid dynamical systems: convective turbulence dominates small‐scale field, also act flux energy into larger‐scale, slowly evolving structures. How ambient magnetic fields settings affect such flows remains an open question.