Experiments conducted elsewhere show that a mean fluid motion can be induced in a channel by a travelling thermal wave. An analysis is carried out, linearized under the assumption that the induced motion is slower than the speed of the heat source. The expression for the mean motion is obtained for any Prandtl number and circular frequency of the thermal wave, to complete the results presented by Davey (1967) for low and high frequency ranges.

In the problem of the flow between two parallel plates, it is found that with a temperature profile symmetric about the centre of the channel, the induced flow does not exert a net shear force on either plate, while with a non-symmetric one, the plates are subjected to equal and opposite forces.

For the problem that the upper surface of the fluid is free and thermally insulated, an approximated result can be deduced from that of the previous problem by a simple transformation. It should agree with the result of Davey, obtained through a more elaborate procedure, except in the low frequency range when the surface deformation becomes important.

In agreement with the experiments, our analysis indicates that the induced mean motion is always in a direction opposite to that of the thermal wave, and its magnitude increases rapidly with decreasing Prandtl number. According to the theory, some of the previous experiments were not conducted under the optimum situations, and improved experimental conditions are suggested.