Extensions to Karhunen-Loève based approximation of complicated phenomena

Abstract Extensions to the Karhunen-Loeve transform applied to complicated phenomena are demonstrated on Rayleigh-Benard thermal convection phenomena. The extensions deal with the role of the mean flow, and with the enhancement of the robustness of the Karhunen-Loeve basis when used for a range of parameter values, such as Rayleigh number, other than the particular values at which Karhunen-Loeve basis is generated.