Formation of Large-Scale Semi-Organized Structures in Turbulent Convection

A new mean-field theory of turbulent convection is developed. This theory predicts the convective wind instability in a shear-free turbulent convection which causes formation of large-scale semi-organized fluid motions in the form of cells or rolls. Spatial characteristics of these motions, such as the minimum size of the growing perturbations and the size of perturbations with the maximum growth rate, are determined. This study predicts also the existence of the convective shear instability in a sheared turbulent convection which results in generation of convective shear waves with a nonzero hydrodynamic helicity. Increase of shear promotes excitation of the convective shear instability. Applications of the obtained results to the atmospheric turbulent convection and the laboratory experiments on turbulent convection are discussed. This theory can be applied also for the describing a mesogranular turbulent convection in astrophysics.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, REVTEX4, PHYSICAL REVIEW E, v. 67, in press (2003