Time-periodic heating of Rayleigh–Benard convection in a vertical magnetic field

Convective instability in a horizontal layer of electrically conducting fluid, heated from below, is investigated in the presence of an applied vertical magnetic field. The temperature gradient between the walls of the fluid layer consists of a steady part and a time dependent oscillatory part. The temperature of both walls is modulated. The combined effect of the vertical magnetic field and modulation of walls' temperature is investigated using Floquet theory. It is found that the effect of magnetic field has a stabilizing influence on the onset of thermal instability. Further, it is also found that it is possible to advance or delay the onset of convection by proper tuning of the frequency of modulation of the walls' temperature.