Intermittency in the large N-limit of a spherical shell model for turbulence

A spherical shell model for turbulence, obtained by coupling $N$ replicas of the Gledzer, Okhitani and Yamada shell model, is considered. Conservation of energy and of an helicity-like invariant is imposed in the inviscid limit. In the $N \to \infty$ limit this model is analytically soluble and is remarkably similar to the random coupling model version of shell dynamics. We have studied numerically the convergence of the scaling exponents toward the value predicted by Kolmogorov theory (K41). We have found that the rate of convergence to the K41 solution is linear in 1/N. The restoring of Kolmogorov law has been related to the behaviour of the probability distribution functions of the instantaneous scaling exponent.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, 3 Postscript figures, to be published on Europhys. Let

Helicity cascades in rotating turbulence

The effect of helicity (velocity-vorticity correlations) is studied in direct numerical simulations of rotating turbulence down to Rossby numbers of 0.02. The results suggest that the presence of net helicity plays an important role in the dynamics of the flow. In particular, at small Rossby number, the energy cascades to large scales, as expected, but helicity then can dominate the cascade to small scales. A phenomenological interpretation in terms of a direct cascade of helicity slowed down by wave-eddy interactions leads to the prediction of new inertial indices for the small-scale energy and helicity spectra.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

On the universality of small scale turbulence

The proposed universality of small scale turbulence is investigated for a set of measurements in a cryogenic free jet with a variation of the Reynolds number (Re) from 8500 to 10^6. The traditional analysis of the statistics of velocity increments by means of structure functions or probability density functions is replaced by a new method which is based on the theory of stochastic Markovian processes. It gives access to a more complete characterization by means of joint probabilities of finding velocity increments at several scales. Based on this more precise method our results call in question the concept of universality.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Classical and quantum regimes of two-dimensional turbulence in trapped Bose-Einstein condensates

We investigate two-dimensional turbulence in finite-temperature trapped Bose-Einstein condensates within damped Gross-Pitaevskii theory. Turbulence is produced via circular motion of a Gaussian potential barrier stirring the condensate. We systematically explore a range of stirring parameters and identify three regimes, characterized by the injection of distinct quantum vortex structures into the condensate: (A) periodic vortex dipole injection, (B) irregular injection of a mixture of vortex dipoles and co-rotating vortex clusters, and (C) continuous injection of oblique solitons that decay into vortex dipoles. Spectral analysis of the kinetic energy associated with vortices reveals that regime (B) can intermittently exhibit a Kolmogorov $k^{-5/3}$ power law over almost a decade of length or wavenumber ($k$) scales. The kinetic energy spectrum of regime (C) exhibits a clear $k^{-3/2}$ power law associated with an inertial range for weak-wave turbulence, and a $k^{-7/2}$ power law for high wavenumbers. We thus identify distinct regimes of forcing for generating either two-dimensional quantum turbulence or classical weak-wave turbulence that may be realizable experimentally.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures. Minor updates to text and figures 1, 2 and

Large scale flow effects, energy transfer, and self-similarity on turbulence

The effect of large scales on the statistics and dynamics of turbulent fluctuations is studied using data from high resolution direct numerical simulations. Three different kinds of forcing, and spatial resolutions ranging from 256^3 to 1024^3, are being used. The study is carried out by investigating the nonlinear triadic interactions in Fourier space, transfer functions, structure functions, and probability density functions. Our results show that the large scale flow plays an important role in the development and the statistical properties of the small scale turbulence. The role of helicity is also investigated. We discuss the link between these findings and intermittency, deviations from universality, and possible origins of the bottleneck effect. Finally, we briefly describe the consequences of our results for the subgrid modeling of turbulent flows

Intermittency in the Joint Cascade of Energy and Helicity

The statistics of the energy and helicity fluxes in isotropic turbulence are studied using high resolution direct numerical simulation. The scaling exponents of the energy flux agree with those of the transverse velocity structure functions through refined similarity hypothesis, consistent with Kraichnan's prediction \cite{Kr74}. The helicity flux is even more intermittent than the energy flux and its scaling exponents are closer to those of the passive scalar. Using Waleffe's helical decomposition, we demonstrate that the existence of positive mean helicity flux inhibits the energy transfer in the negative helical modes, a non-passive effect

Spectral energy dynamics in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

Spectral direct numerical simulations of incompressible MHD turbulence at a resolution of up to $1024^3$ collocation points are presented for a statistically isotropic system as well as for a setup with an imposed strong mean magnetic field. The spectra of residual energy, $E_k^\mathrm{R}=|E_k^\mathrm{M}-E_k^\mathrm{K}|$, and total energy, $E_k=E^\mathrm{K}_k+E^\mathrm{M}_k$, are observed to scale self-similarly in the inertial range as $E_k^\mathrm{R}\sim k^{-7/3}$, $E_k\sim k^{-5/3}$ (isotropic case) and $E^\mathrm{R}_{k_\perp}\sim k_\perp^{-2}$, $E_{k_\perp}\sim k_\perp^{-3/2}$ (anisotropic case, perpendicular to the mean field direction). A model of dynamic equilibrium between kinetic and magnetic energy, based on the corresponding evolution equations of the eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian (EDQNM) closure approximation, explains the findings. The assumed interplay of turbulent dynamo and Alfv\'en effect yields $E_k^\mathrm{R}\sim k E^2_k$ which is confirmed by the simulations.Comment: accepted for publication by PR

Energy spectrum of buoyancy-driven turbulence

Using high-resolution direct numerical simulation and arguments based on the kinetic energy flux $\Pi_u$, we demonstrate that for stably stratified flows, the kinetic energy spectrum $E_u(k) \sim k^{-11/5}$, the entropy spectrum $E_\theta(k) \sim k^{-7/5}$, and $\Pi_u(k) \sim k^{-4/5}$, consistent with the Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling. This scaling arises due to the conversion of kinetic energy to the potential energy by buoyancy. For weaker buoyancy, this conversion is weak, hence $E_u(k)$ follows Kolmogorov's spectrum with a constant energy flux. For Rayleigh B\'{e}nard convection, we show that the energy supply rate by buoyancy is positive, which leads to an increasing $\Pi_u(k)$ with $k$, thus ruling out Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling for the convective turbulence. Our numerical results show that convective turbulence for unit Prandt number exhibits a constant $\Pi_u(k)$ and $E_u(k) \sim k^{-5/3}$ for a narrow band of wavenumbers.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1404.214

CMB anisotropies due to cosmological magnetosonic waves

We study scalar mode perturbations (magnetosonic waves) induced by a helical stochastic cosmological magnetic field and derive analytically the corresponding cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization anisotropy angular power spectra. We show that the presence of a stochastic magnetic field, or an homogeneous magnetic field, influences the acoustic oscillation pattern of the CMB anisotropy power spectrum, effectively acting as a reduction of the baryon fraction. We find that the scalar magnetic energy density perturbation contribution to the CMB temperature anisotropy is small compared to the contribution to the CMB $E$-polarization anisotropy.Comment: 17 pages, references added, version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.