{
  "abstract": "High heat transfer in Rayleigh--Bénard convection is commonly associated with vigorous turbulent motion, but turbulence intensity alone does not explain how a limiting transport state is selected. We propose that such limiting states are organized by marginal energy stability. Starting from the exact perturbation-energy balance, we determine, for a prescribed mean temperature profile, the smallest neutral Rayleigh number over the balance parameter and all admissible disturbances. The corresponding marginal modes are then coupled to the exact mean-temperature equation, producing a self-consistent profile and heat flux. At large $Ra$, the selected branch gives $Nu\\simeq0.0245Ra^{1/2}$ and develops conductive inner layers, logarithmic-like intermediate regions and a weakly stably stratified core. An equivalent background-field formulation yields the same governing equations and establishes uniqueness of the selected mean profile. Three-dimensional simulations at $10^6\\le Ra\\le10^8$ show that distributed thermal forcing based on this profile suppresses convective motion while retaining a large wall heat flux.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2606.14138",
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Zijing Ding"
    },
    {
      "name": "Baole Wen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Hui Li"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ezxtnz3pk4gfx.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2606.14138",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "ezxtnz3pk4gfx",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.14138",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.flu-dyn"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2206|Fluid Dynamics and Turbulent Flows"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7164805556",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.14138",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-08",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ezxtnz3pk4gfx.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:48Z",
      "native_id": "2606.14138",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.14138"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.flu-dyn",
      "subfield": "fluid-dynamics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Optimal heat transport at the edge of energy stability",
  "title_text": "Optimal heat transport at the edge of energy stability",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:48Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ezxtnz3pk4gfx",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}