Bursts in inclined layer convection

A new instability of longitudinal rolls in an inclined fluid layer heated from below is analyzed in the case of the Prandtl number P=0.71. The instability assumes the form of subharmonic undulations and evolves into a spatially chaotic pattern when the angle of inclination is of the order of 20 degrees. The chaotic state rapidly decays and longitudinal rolls recover until the next burst of chaotic convection occurs. The theoretical findings closely correspond to recent experimental observations by Daniels [Phys. Rev. Lett. (to be published)]. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-6631(00)02307-2].