Electrodynamic buoyancy flows as models of planetary and stellar circulations

The motion induced in an enclosed incompressible fluid by the interaction of temperature variations and electrical fields (via changes in dielectric constant or electrical conductivity with temperature) is examined in a review of recent theoretical and experimental investigations, and the potential value of microgravity experiments is discussed. Consideration is given to circulation models of the earth atmosphere, the sun, rapidly rotating stars, and the giant planets; experiments on parallel-plate, annulus, and centrifugal convection; studies of electroconvection in spherical shells; the relationship of these investigations to computational hydrodynamics; a Spacelab-3 geophysical-fluid-flow experiment; and future research goals in geophysical fluid dynamics and dc-field electroconvection. 46 references