Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T22:36:07.685Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The dynamics of vorticity tubes in homogeneous turbulence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2006

A. Vincent
Affiliation:
CERCA, 5160 bd Decarie, Montréal, Québec H3X 2H9, Canadaand Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada H3C 3J7
M. Meneguzzi
Affiliation:
CERFACS, 42 avenue Gustave Coriolis, 31057 Toulouse, France

Abstract

Analysis of data from a direct simulation of statistically steady homogeneous turbulence suggests that the vorticity tubes, which constitute the main structure of the vorticity field, are produced by shear instabilities. This is confirmed by a decay calculation, in which vorticity sheets appear at first, and then roll up to form the first tubes. These instabilities seem to be at least as important as vortex stretching in transferring energy from large to small scales.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1994 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ashurst, W. T., Kerstein, A. R., Kerr, R. M. & Gibson, C. H. 1987 Phys. Fluids 30, 2343.
Betchov, R. 1976 Archi. Mech. Stosowanej 28, (5–6), 837.
Brachet, M. E. 1991 Fluid Dyn. Res. 8, 1.
Brachet, M. E., Meiron, D. I., Orszag, S. A., Nickel, B. G., Morf, R. H. & Frisch, U. 1983 J. Fluid Mech. 130, 411.
Brachet, M. E., Meneguzzi, M., Vincent, A., Politano, H. & Sulem, P. L. 1992 Phys. Fluids A 4, 2845.
Cocke, W. J. 1969 Phys. Fluids 12, 2488.
Douady, S., Couder, Y. & Brachet, M. E. 1991 Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 983.
Kerr, R. 1985 J. Fluid Mech. 153, 31.
Lundgren, T. S. 1982 Phys. Fluids 25, 2193.
Orszag, S. A. 1970 Phys. Fluids 13, 220.
Orszag, S. A. 1977 In Fluid Dynamics (ed. R. Balian & J. L. Peube). Les Houches Summer School, 1973. Gordon and Breach.
Pumir, A. & Siggia, E. D. 1992 Phys. Fluids A 4, 1472.
She, Z. S., Jackson, E. & Orszag, S. A. 1990 Nature 344, 226.
Siggia, E. D. 1981 J. Fluid Mech. 107, 375.
Tsinober, A., Kit, E. & Dracos, T. 1992 J. Fluid Mech. 242, 169.
Vincent, A. & Meneguzzi, M. 1991 J. Fluid Mech. 225, 1 (referred to herein as Paper I).