 Solution

With ${\mathbf{u}}_0=0$ and ${\theta }_0=-z$, the incompressibility condition and temperature equation hold because ${\nabla }^{2}z=0$. The momentum equation is satisfied by the hydrostatic pressurebecause $\nabla p_0=\sigma Ra{\theta }_0\hat{\mathbf{z}}$. Thus this is the conductive basic state.