Wavelength Doubling Cascade to Möbius Defect Turbulence in a 3D Anisotropic Liquid

The following wavelength doubling cascade from a uniform state to a turbulent pattern is observed in a 3D anisotropic liquid: First oscillating convective rolls followed by a stationary stripe pattern, then Möbius defect creation stabilizing an unusual curved roll pattern that eventually becomes turbulent. Once created, Möbius defects are topologically trapped and the initial uniform state is not recovered. The system experimentally investigated is electroconvection above a highly nonlinear base state.