The Influence of Coupled Molecular Diffusion on Double-Diffusive Convection in a Porous Medium

The effect of coupled molecular diffusion on double-diffusive convection in a horizontal porous medium is studied using linear and nonlinear stability analyses. In the case of linear theory, normal mode analysis is employed incorporating two cross diffusion terms. It is found that salt fingers can form by taking cross-diffusion terms of appropriate sign and magnitude even when both concentrations are stably stratified. The conditions for the diffusive instability are compared with those for the formation of fingers. It is shown that these two types of instability will never occur together. The finite amplitude analysis is used to derive the condition for the maintenance of fingers. The stability boundaries are drawn for three different combinations of stratification and the effect of permeability is depicted.