Some recent advances in the theory of homogeneous isotropic turbulence

We review some advances in the theory of homogeneous, isotropic turbulence. Our emphasis is on the new insights that have been gained from recent numerical studies of the three-dimensional Navier Stokes equation and simpler shell models for turbulence. In particular, we examine the status of multiscaling corrections to Kolmogorov scaling, extended self similarity, generalized extended self similarity, and non-Gaussian probability distributions for velocity differences and related quantities. We recount our recent proposal of a wave-vector-space version of generalized extended self similarity and show how it allows us to explore an intriguing and apparently universal crossover from inertial- to dissipation-range asymptotics.     

Formulation of the theory of turbulence in an incompressible fluid

The theory of turbulence in an incompressible fluid is formulated using methods similar to those of quantum field theory. A systematic perturbation theory is set up, and the terms in the perturbation series are shown to be in one to one correspondence with certain diagrams analogous to Feynman diagrams. From a study of the diagrams it is shown that the perturbation series can be rearranged and partially summed in such a way as to reduce the problem to the solution of three simultaneous integral equations for three functions, one of which is the second order velocity correlation function. The equations have the form of infinite power series integral equations, and the first few terms in the power series are derived from an analysis of the diagrams to sixth order. Truncation of the integral equations at the lowest nontrivial order yields Chandrasekhar's equation, and truncation at a higher order yields the equations discussed by Kraichnan.     

On the scaling of three-dimensional homogeneous and isotropic turbulence

In this paper we investigate the scaling properties of three-dimensional isotropic and homogeneous turbulence. We analyze a new form of scaling (extended self-similarity) recently introduced in the literature. We found that anomalous scaling of the velocity structure functions is clearly detectable even at a moderate and low Reynolds number and it extends over a much wider range of scales with respect to the inertial range.     

On isotropic turbulence in the dark fluid universe

As a first part of this work, experimental information about the decay of isotropic turbulence in ordinary hydrodynamics, [`(u²(t))] μ t^-6/5\overline{\mathbf{u}^{2}(t)}\propto t^{-6/5}, is used as input in FRW equations in order to investigate how an initial fraction f of turbulent kinetic energy in the cosmic fluid influences the cosmological development in the late, quintessence/phantom, universe. First order perturbative theory to the first order in f is employed. It turns out that both in the Hubble factor and in the energy density, the influence from the turbulence fades away at late times. The divergences in these quantities near the Big Rip behave essentially as in a non-turbulent fluid. However, for the scale factor, the turbulence modification turns out to diverge logarithmically. As a second part of our work, we consider the full FRW equation in which the turbulent part of the dark energy is accounted for by a separate term. It is demonstrated that turbulence occurrence may change the future universe evolution due to dissipation of dark energy. For instance, the phantom-dominated universe becomes asymptotically a de Sitter one in the future, thus avoiding the Big Rip singularity.     

On the numerical modeling of the dynamics of homogeneous isotropic turbulence

Using a series of mathematical models based on the closed Karman-Howarth equation, the numerical modeling of the dynamics of homogeneous isotropic turbulence was carried out. Computational results agree with known experimental data. Mathematical models are compared.     

Renormalization group theory for fluid and plasma turbulence

For the last several decades, renormalization group (RG, or RNG) methods have been applied to a wide variety of problems of turbulence in hydrodynamics and plasma physics. A comprehensive review of this work will be presented, covering RG methods in hydrodynamic turbulence and in turbulent systems with coupled fluctuating fields like magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. This review will attempt to specifically consider several questions about RG: (1) Does RG provide an improvement over previous analytical theories like the direct interaction approximation, or is RG a useful simplification of those theories? (2) How are nonlocal, or ‘sweeping’ effects treated in RG formalisms, or are they ignored entirely? (3) Can RG theories treat both local and nonlocal interactions in turbulence?     

Pressure spectrum in homogeneous turbulence

The pressure spectrum in homogeneous steady turbulence is studied using direct numerical simulation with resolution up to 1024(3) and the Reynolds number R(lambda) between 38 and 478. The energy spectrum is found to have a finite inertial range with the Kolmogorov constant K = 1.65+/-0.05 followed by a bump at large wave numbers. The pressure spectrum in the inertial range is found to be approximately P(k) = B(p)epsilon;(4/3)k(-7/3) with B(p) = 8.0+/-0.5, and followed by a bump of nearly k(-5/3) at higher wave numbers. Universality and a new scaling of the pressure spectrum are discussed.     

Decay of helicity in homogeneous turbulence

The self-similar relaxation of helicity in homogeneous turbulence has been considered taking into account integral invariants ∫ ₀ ^∞ r ^m 〈u(x)ω(x + r)〉 dr = I _m ^h (where ω = curlu and r = |r|). It has been shown that integral invariants with m = 3 for both helicity and energy are possible in addition to helical analogs of Loitsyanskii (m = 4) and Birkhoff-Saffman (m = 2) invariants associated with the conservation laws of momentum and angular momentum, respectively. Helicity always relaxes more rapidly than the energy. Its decay exponent is in the interval from ?3/2 to ?5/2 versus the interval from ?6/5 to ?10/7 for the energy.     

On the simple-source theory of sound from statistical turbulence

A theory for the generation of aerodynamic sound, stated in terms of convected simple sources and dipoles, is presented. The sources are found to depend upon convective derivatives of the hydrodynamic pressure within the turbulent source region. The results are similar to earlier efforts involving simple sources, sometimes called dilatational sources. The results are modified for effects involving measurements on moving flows. The theory shows explicitly the refractive effects of shear flow within the source region, as well as of temperature changes (if any) within the source region. The oscillating cylinder problem is discussed and the results of the present theory are found to agree with those obtained by Lauvstad using a matched asymptotic expansion for the same problem. The theory is used to predict the temperature dependence of sound power for hot jets.Consultant for Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc.     

On the theory of internal photoemission in heterojunctions

The theory of internal photoemission in semiconductor heterojunctions has been reviewed and the existing model has been extended by incorporating the effects of the difference in the effective masses in the active region and the substrate, nonspherical-nonparabolic bands, and the energy loss per collisions. This complete model has been applied to describe the experimental results obtained from Si_1−xGe_x/Si heterojunction infrared photodetectors. The barrier heights (correspondingly the cut-off wavelengths) of SiGe/Si samples have been determined from their internal photoemission spectra by using the extended model which has the wavelength and doping concentration dependent free carrier absorption parameters. Fowler analysis showed that the model is in good agreement with the experiments for the entire spectrum.     

Decay of homogeneous turbulence in three-range models

New models, with energy spectra which consist of three power-law ranges, are suggested to describe the free evolution of homogeneous and isotropic high-Reynolds-number turbulence. By selecting a single number, a characteristic of the energy spectrum in the model, very good agreement with experiments has been achieved for two independently measured parameters. Also, verifiable dependences of turbulence decay features on characteristics of the turbulence generation process are suggested.     

Modulation of homogeneous shear turbulence laden with finite-size particles

The dynamics of homogeneous shear turbulence laden with spherical finite-size particles is investigated using fully resolved numerical simulations to understand how the presence of particles modulates turbulent shear flows. We focus on a dilute flow laden with non-sedimenting particles whose diameter is slightly smaller than or comparable with those of vortex cores in turbulence. An immersed boundary method is adopted to represent a spherical finite-size particle. Numerical results show that the presence of particles augments the viscous dissipation of turbulence kinetic energy, which leads to a slower increase in the turbulence energy. Although the augmentation of energy dissipation occurs predominantly inside viscous layers surrounding particles in an initial period, the contribution from their outside becomes more significant due to the modification of turbulence structures as turbulence develops. It is found that the particles exhibit weak tendency to accumulate in vortex layers. The particles approaching and colliding with vortex layers induce large velocity fluctuations, which leads to the generation and shedding of thin vortex tubes. Newly generated vortex tubes interact with developed vortex tubes and layers, and modify the entire structure of the vorticity field.     

Large-scale structure of isotropic homogeneous turbulence

It is shown that the longitudinal correlation functionf is asymptotically proportional tor ^?3 asr→∞ and the energy spectrum function is asymptotically proportional toκ ² asκ→0 if and only if 0<〈(f u d ³ x)·u〉<∞. Moreover, the latter finiteness condition is shown to be essentially equivalent to 〈(fy·ud ³ x)²〉<∞ for nonstochasticyεL ²(R₃). Confirmed by recent experimental measurements, the larger dependencef ∝r ^?3 is concomitant with anO(r ^?6)=O(f ²) fall-off of the viscous force term in the Kármán-Howarth equation.     

On the critical regimes in the theory of randomly forced magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

In this paper large-scale properties of developed magnetohydrodynamic turbulence have been investigated by using double expansion method in the frame of quantum field renormalization group. It has been shown that universal kinetic scaling regime exists, but the double expansion in general leads to qualitatively different results than those provided by the usual -expansion treatment.This work was supported by Slovak Grant Agency for Science.     

Phase space structure in ideal homogeneous turbulence

The phase spaces of finite Fourier representations of ideal, incompressible, homogeneous fluid and magneto-fluid turbulence are discussed. Helical invariance allows the definition of set-theoretic characteristic functions which partition the various ensemble phase spaces into disjoint components. This explicit disjointness explains the previously observed nonergodicity in ideal, incompressible, homogeneous turbulence.     

On the separation of variables in the theory of the ion-acoustic turbulence spectrum

The independence of the ion-acoustic turbulence spectrumof the constant of separation of variables, i.e., the wave vector magnitude and angle, in solving the integral equation defining the fluctuation intensity N(k) is proved.