| 1. |
- Augier, Pierre, et al.
(author)
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Kolmogorov laws for stratified turbulence
- 2012
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In: Journal of Fluid Mechanics. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0022-1120 .- 1469-7645. ; 709, s. 659-670
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Following the Kolmogorov technique, an exact relation for a vector third-order moment J is derived for three-dimensional incompressible stably stratified turbulence under the Boussinesq approximation. In the limit of a small Brunt-Vaisala frequency, isotropy may be assumed which allows us to find a generalized 4/3-law. For strong stratification, we make the ansatz that J is directed along axisymmetric surfaces parameterized by a scaling law relating horizontal and vertical coordinates. An integration of the exact relation under this hypothesis leads to a generalized Kolmogorov law which depends on the intensity of anisotropy parameterized by a single coefficient. By using a scaling relation between large horizontal and vertical length scales we fix this coefficient and propose a unique law.
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| 2. |
- Augier, Pierre, et al.
(author)
-
Spectral analysis of the transition to turbulence from a dipole in stratified fluid
- 2012
-
In: Journal of Fluid Mechanics. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0022-1120 .- 1469-7645. ; 713, s. 86-108
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigate the spectral properties of the turbulence generated during the nonlinear evolution of a Lamb-Chaplygin dipole in a stratified fluid for a high Reynolds number Re = 28 000 and a wide range of horizontal Froude number F-h epsilon [0.0225 0.135] and buoyancy Reynolds number R = ReFh2 epsilon [14 510]. The numerical simulations use a weak hyperviscosity and are therefore almost direct numerical simulations (DNS). After the nonlinear development of the zigzag instability, both shear and gravitational instabilities develop and lead to a transition to small scales. A spectral analysis shows that this transition is dominated by two kinds of transfer: first, the shear instability induces a direct non-local transfer toward horizontal wavelengths of the order of the buoyancy scale L-b = U/N, where U is the characteristic horizontal velocity of the dipole and N the Brunt-Vaisala frequency; second, the destabilization of the Kelvin-Helmholtz billows and the gravitational instability lead to small-scale weakly stratified turbulence. The horizontal spectrum of kinetic energy exhibits epsilon(2/3)(K)k(h)(-5/3) power law (where k(h) is the horizontal wavenumber and epsilon(K) is the dissipation rate of kinetic energy) from k(b) = 2 pi/L-b to the dissipative scales, with an energy deficit between the integral scale and k(b) and an excess around k(b). The vertical spectrum of kinetic energy can be expressed as E(k(z)) = C(N)N(2)k(z)(-3) + C epsilon(2/3)(K)k(z)(-5/3) where C-N and C are two constants of order unity and k(z) is the vertical wavenumber. It is therefore very steep near the buoyancy scale with an N(2)k(z)(-3) shape and approaches the epsilon(2/3)(K)k(z)(-5/3) spectrum for k(z) > k(o), k(o) being the Ozmidov wavenumber, which is the cross-over between the two scaling laws. A decomposition of the vertical spectra depending on the horizontal wavenumber value shows that the N(2)k(z)(-3) spectrum is associated with large horizontal scales vertical bar k(h)vertical bar < k(b) and the epsilon(2/3)(K)k(z)(-5/3) spectrum with the scales vertical bar k(h)vertical bar > k(b).
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