Quasi-two-dimensional convection in a three-dimensional laterally heated box in a strong magnetic field normal to main circulation

Convection in a laterally heated three-dimensional box affected by a strong magnetic field is considered in the quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) formulation. It is assumed that the magnetic field is strong and is normal to the main convective circulation. The stability of the resulting Q2D flow is studied for two values of the Hartmann number scaled by half of the width ratio, 100 and 1000, and for either thermally insulating or perfectly conducting horizontal boundaries. The aspect length-to-height ratio of the box is varied continuously between 4 and 10. It is shown that the magnetic field damps the bulk flow and creates thermal and Shercliff boundary layers at the boundaries, which become the main source of instabilities. In spite of the general tendency of the flow stabilization by the magnetic field, the flow instability takes place in different ways depending on the boundary conditions and the aspect ratio. Similarities with other magnetic field directions and flows with larger Prandtl numbers are discussed. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3549932]