Incompressible flow in a rapidly rotating cylinder with a source/sink distribution in the lateral wall and a free inner boundary

Abstract The flow of an incompressible fluid in a rapidly rotating right circular cylinder is considered. A source/sink mass distribution at the lateral wall, which is azimuthally uniform and symmetric across the midplane, causes a deviation from wheel flow. The container is only partially full and the inner free surface is allowed to deviate slightly from the vertical. A finite‐difference solution of the full axisymmetric, non‐linear governing equations was used to obtain the flow field. A special implicit technique for the Coriolis terms which maintains geostrophy was developed and is described. The results obtained for a low Rossby number flow compare quite favourably with the linearized solution. Results are also presented for a case wherein the non‐linear terms are important.