%0 Journal Article %A Lee, J. H. %A Kamotani, Yasuhiro %A Ostrach, Simon %D 1995 %I Begell House %N 1 %P 15-28 %R 10.1615/InterJFluidMechRes.v22.i1.20 %T Oscillatory Thermocapillary Convection in Circular Containers with CO2 Laser Heating %U https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/71cb29ca5b40f8f8,69ec24952ce898f7,72696fde020a2914.html %V 22 %X Results are reported of an experimental study of oscillatory thermocapillary convection in small cylindrical containers with CO2 laser heating. The effects of container dimensions and heating zone diameter on the conditions for onset of oscillations are investigated. The test fluid was 5 centistokes silicone oil (Prandtl number = 45−60). A numerical analysis supplements the experimental data. Buoyancy is not important in the current tests. It is shown that the oscillatory flow is similar to that found in earlier work in which the authors used a heating rod. It is also shown that the Marangoni number is not sufficient to specify the onset conditions. The correlation of the present data suggests an additional parameter that represents free surface deformation. The current results are consistent with the data obtained in a space experiment by the authors. %8 1995-02-01