A tutorial on the Rayleigh-Marangoni-Benard problem with multiple layers and side wall effects

A brief review in the form of a tutorial is presented on convective instabilities that arise from thermocapillary and buoyancy effects. This tutorial primarily focuses on the effect of multiple layers and side walls on the nature of the convective flows and associated patterns. A comprehensive explanation of the physics of this type of convection is followed by a discussion of the mathematical features of bifurcation associated with the problem and some of the recent experimental studies. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1054-1500(99)02601-4].