Unusual bifurcation scenario in a stably stratified, valley-shaped enclosure heated from below

We explore stably stratified flows in V-shaped triangular cavities, following Prandtl's mountain and valley flow model. Our study identifies five distinct steady states. A zero-flow state bifurcates into symmetry-conjugated asymmetric circulation states forming a pitchfork bifurcation. Additionally, we identify two symmetric states characterized by upslope and downslope flows, respectively. These states, although not symmetry-conjugated, originate from the same eigenmode, leading to a novel bifurcation pattern that deviates from traditional canonical forms. Our findings illuminate the complex bifurcation structure of stratified flows in such cavities, which has previously been overlooked.