Interaction between mean flow and turbulence in two dimensions

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This short note is written to call attention to an analytic approach to the interaction of developed turbulence with mean flows of simple geometry (jets and vortices). It is instructive to compare cases in two and three dimensions and see why the former are solvable and the latter are not (yet). We present the analytical solutions for two-dimensional mean flows generated by an inverse turbulent cascade on a sphere and in planar domains of different aspect ratios. These solutions are obtained in the limit of small friction when the flow is strong while turbulence can be considered weak and treated perturbatively. I then discuss when these simple solutions can be realized and when more complicated flows may appear instead. The next step of describing turbulence statistics inside a flow and directions of possible future progress are briefly discussed at the end.

Original languageEnglish
Article number20160287
JournalProceedings Of The Royal Society A-Mathematical Physical And Engineering Sciences
Volume472
Issue number2191
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jul 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Engineering
  • General Physics and Astronomy
  • General Mathematics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Interaction between mean flow and turbulence in two dimensions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this