Symmetry breaking of rotating convection due to Non-Oberbeck-Boussinesq effects

The non-Oberbeck-Boussinesq (NOB) effects arising from variations in thermal expansivity are theoretically and numerically studied in the context of rotating Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard convection under 2D configuration. The thermal expansivity increases from top to bottom, and its variation is measured by a dimensionless factor ε. Utilizing an asymptotic expansion with weak nonlinearity, we derive an amplitude equation, revealing that NOB effects amplify the magnitude of convection. An order-ε² NOB correction leads to a symmetry breaking about the horizontal mid-plane, manifested in the strengthening of convection near the bottom and its weakening near the top, forming a bottom-heavy profiles. At order ε³, the conjunction of NOB effects and nonlinear advection leads to a horizontal symmetry breaking. The downward cold plumes become stronger and more concentrated compared to the upward warm plumes. Numerical simulations validate the theoretical analyses in the weak nonlinear regime and confirm robust horizontal asymmetry and stronger downward plumes at very large Rayleigh numbers. This work advances our understanding of hydrothermal plumes in the subglacial oceans on icy moons as well as tracer transport from the seafloor to the ice shell.