Lyapunov functional

A Lyapunov functional assigns a scalar to the entire state of an evolution equation and is monotone along its trajectories. For a gradient flow $A_T=\delta V/\delta \overline{A}$, the identity $dV/dT=2\int |A_T{|}^2$ follows from the variational chain rule, with boundary terms removed by periodicity or decay. A spatial density is not itself a Lyapunov functional unless all remaining coordinates are integrated or averaged.

For the conserved-mean convection amplitude equations before amplitude reduction, the functional $V=⟨\mu |\nabla T{|}^2/2-(\Delta T{)}^2/2-|\nabla T{|}^4/4⟩$ generates a gradient flow with increasing $V$. Periodic integration by parts identifies its variational gradient with the evolution equation. Completing the square gives $V={\mu }^2/4-⟨(|\nabla T{|}^2-\mu {)}^2/4+(\Delta T{)}^2/2⟩\le {\mu }^2/4$. Hence ${\int }_0^{\infty }⟨T_t^2⟩dt<\infty$ along a globally smooth solution. Under compactness of the orbit, its limiting states are stationary; a nonstationary periodic orbit is impossible.

A nonconstant smooth periodic roll obeys $\mu ⟨T_0^{\prime 2}⟩-⟨T_0^{\prime \prime 2}⟩-⟨T_0^{\prime 4}⟩=0$. The orthogonal-roll perturbation raises the increasing-gradient functional for poorly conducting convection by the displayed amount. The variance is strictly positive: a nonconstant periodic function has a derivative that vanishes somewhere and is nonzero somewhere. The Hessian of $V$ therefore has a positive direction. Its self-adjoint linearized evolution operator has a positive Rayleigh quotient and hence a positive eigenvalue, proving transverse linear instability wherever a nonconstant roll exists.