Origination of microconvection in a flat layer with a free boundary

Stability of a flat layer with a free boundary in the model of microconvection is studied in the linear approximation of equilibrium. The most important physical case is considered, where the Boussinesq parameter and the Rayleigh number depend linearly on the Marangoni number. It is shown that long-wave disturbances always decay. Neutral curves for a wide range of dimensionless parameters are constructed numerically; new (as compared to the Oberbeck–Boussinesq model) growing disturbances are found, which are caused by fluid compressibility. Based on numerical results, the areas of applicability of the microconvection, Oberbeck–Boussinesq, and viscous heat-conducting fluid models are established.