Complex dynamics in double-diffusive convection

The dynamics of a small Prandtl number binary mixture in a laterally heated cavity is studied numerically. By combining temporal integration, steady state solving and linear stability analysis of the full PDE equations, we have been able to locate and characterize a codimension-three degenerate Takens-Bogdanov point whose unfolding describes the dynamics of the system for a certain range of Rayleigh numbers and separation ratios near S=-1.