Identification of vortex cores of three-dimensional large-vortical structures

In this paper, we propose a nonlocal method to identify vortex cores in three-dimensional flows as a complement to the existing list of local and nonlocal methods of the bibliography. The method is based on the vector field of the instantaneous rotation of a particle around a center. This center is defined using the Darboux vector field along the path-particle lines; the vortex core is detected using their Frenet–Serret frame. We illustrate the application of the method to identify the core of large-vortical structures in analytical and numerically simulated laminar and turbulent natural convection flows.