Three-dinumsiolUJ1 rmstetuIy IIlJ1TIUiaJJ computation was carrinl ouJ to inutstigule buoyancy-driven unstable conuection prrx:esses in a sil/e-waU-hmUd and top-waD-<:ooIed vertical cWsed cylinder containing /iquid maal. The Iime-dependent basicflow equaJions were dinctly solved by scheme wiJh the pawer I4w approxinuJtion to treat the conuection-diffusion couplings. ResuIJs were obtoined lor /iquid metoJ (Pr = 0.02) in a cylinder01finite aspect ratio (F = 2) lor various Rilyleigh 1UUII1Jers.The predickd resuIJs indicote thar the flow is relatively unstable exrept at I4w buoyancy. SpeciJictJlJy, at RD = 2000 the flow evolves to a steady stoJe but is highly osynuru:tric. As RD = 3000 and 4000, the flow becomes time periodic after 1M transient has died out wiJh increasing asymmetry. AI a stiU higher buoyancy the osciIJJJtion amplitluk and flow asymmetry get larger, and a second fundamenIa1 frequency appeors. The flow is quasi-periodic. Quolilatioely, the flow structure is c1zaraderiud by a main ret:ir

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