Convective instability of Marangoni–Poiseuille flow under a longitudinal temperature gradient

An exact solution is obtained for the problem of steady flow in a system of two horizontal layers of immiscible fluids with a common interface. The stability of the flow is studied by a linearization method. It is shown that the occurrence of instabilities is due to the different governing parameters of the fluids (thickness, heating conditions, viscous and thermal conductivity of the fluids). It is found that under constant gravity conditions, the perturbations are monotonic, and in zero gravity, oscillatory thermocapillary instability occurs.