Convective temperature fluctuations in liquid gallium in dependence on static and rotating magnetic fields

The influence of static axial, static transversal, and rotating magnetic fields on convective temperature fluctuations in liquid gallium (temperature range around 800 degrees C, Prandtl number 2.5 . 10(-3)) has been investigated. For a Rayleigh number of 6.3 . 10(5) (Delta T = 10 degrees C, h = 50 mm), convective temperature fluctuations with peak to peak values of 3 degrees C have been measured. Depending on the strength, the frequency, and the configuration of the field, they could be eliminated to Delta T < 0.01 degrees C (static axial field of 182 mT), damped to a nearly periodic state with 0.1 degrees C amplitudes (static transversal field of 45 mT), or reduced to 0.03 degrees C oscillations by applying a rotating field.