Large Prandtl Number Behavior of Rayleigh-Benard Convection

          Xiaoming Wang, Iowa State University

             3:30pm on Apr. 4 at REC 121


  We consider the large Prandtl number asymptotics of the Boussinesq 
approximation of Rayleigh-Benard convection. The infinite Prandtl number 
model is rigorously justified as a finite time approximate model at large 
Prandtl number. The approximation is a singular perturbation problem 
involving an initial transition layer. We also study the long time 
behavior at large Prandtl number including the eventual regularity of 
suitable weak solutions, existence of global attractors and their 
relationship to the attractor for the infinite Prandtl number model.