Non-equilibrium fluctuations in a ternary mixture subjected to a temperature gradient

Abstract

We present the complete theory for the decay rates of non-equilibrium fluctuations in a ternary liquid mixture subjected to a stationary temperature gradient, when the quiescent non-convective state is stable. In the most general case, within Boussinesq approximation, four fluctuating modes exist. Depending on the parameter values, propagative modes may be present, and we discuss numerically some cases where that is so. We complete the work with a discussion of symmetry upon changes in concentration representation, as well as examination of some limiting cases with practical relevance for which analytical progress is possible. We make contact with previous publications, which were based on some kind of approximation.