The velocity-vorticity correlation integral (Chkhetiani invariant) is an invariant of a viscous Karman-Howarth equation. In the tree-dimensional space this invariant can naturally determine a turbulent diffusivity (viscosity). It is shown, using results of direct numerical simulations, that distributed chaos dominated by this integral can provide an adequate description of the turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection, stably stratified turbulence and Rayleigh-Taylor mixing at Prandtl number $Pr \sim 1$.
In rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection, columnar vortices advect horizontally in a stochastic manner. When the centrifugal buoyancy is present the vortices exhibit radial motions that can be explained through a Langevin-type stochastic model. Surprisingly, anomalous outward motion of cyclones is observed in a centrifugation-dominant flow regime, which is contrary to the well-known centrifugal effect. We interpret this phenomenon as a symmetry-breaking of both the population and vorticity magnitude of the vortices brought about by the centrifugal buoyancy. Consequently, the cyclones submit to t…
An initial zonally symmetric quasigeostrophic potential-vorticity (PV) distribution q_i(y) is subjected to complete or partial mixing within some finite zone |y| < L, where y is latitude. The change in M, the total absolute angular momentum, between the initial and any later time is considered. For standard quasigeostrophic shallow-water beta-channel dynamics it is proved that, for any q_i(y) such that dq_i/dy > 0 throughout |y| < L, the change in M is always negative. This theorem holds even when "mixing" is understood in the most general possible sense. Arbitrary stirring or advective rearra…
We present a numerical study of vorticity production and transport in the two-dimensional Rayleigh-Bénard (RB) convection. Direct numerical simulations are carried out in the Rayleigh number ($Ra$) range $10^{5}\le Ra \le 10^{6}$, the Prandtl number ($Pr$) of 0.71, and the aspect ratio ($Γ$) of the convection cell range $0.75\le Γ\le 6$. We found that the flow structure and temperature distribution vary with $Γ$ greatly due to multiple vortices interaction. Further investigation on the vorticity production and transport reveals that, in the RB convection, in addition to the vorticity productio…
We use laboratory experiments to investigate the entrainment of ambient fluid into an axisymmetric turbulent plume that contains dense particles with a settling velocity that is considerably smaller than the plume velocity. We consider the effect of particle size, particle concentration, and the orientation of the plume buoyancy flux - either in the same or opposite direction to the particle buoyancy flux. When the plume buoyancy flux is in the opposite direction to the particle buoyancy flux, entrainment into the plume increases by up to 40%. The rate of entrainment increases linearly with th…
We consider the time-dependence of a hierarchy of scaled $L^{2m}$-norms $D_{m,ω}$ and $D_{m,θ}$ of the vorticity $\boldsymbol ω = \boldsymbol{\nabla} \times {\mathbf u}$ and the density gradient $\boldsymbol{\nabla} θ$, where $θ=\log (ρ^*/ρ^*_0)$, in a buoyancy-driven turbulent flow as simulated by \cite{LR2007}. $ρ^*({\mathbf x},\,t) $ is the composition density of a mixture of two incompressible miscible fluids with fluid densities $ρ^*_2 > ρ^*_1$ and $ρ^*_{0}$ is a reference normalisation density. Using data from the publicly available Johns Hopkins Turbulence Database we present evidence t…
We study numerically the propagation of a hot thermal transient through a U-bend via an ensemble of wall-resolved large eddy simulations. Conjugate heat transfer between fluid and solid domains is accounted for. The flow is in a fully turbulent mixed convection regime, with a bulk Reynolds number of $10,000$, a Richardson number of $2.23$, and water as the working fluid (Prandtl number = $6$). These conditions lead to strong thermal stratification, with buoyancy-induced secondary flows, and the generation of a large and persistent recirculation region. The evolution of Dean vortices as the the…
The solar tachocline is a shear layer located at the base of the solar convection zone. The horizontal shear in the tachocline is likely turbulent, and it is often assumed that this turbulence would be strongly anisotropic as a result of the local stratification. What role this turbulence plays in the tachocline dynamics, however, remains to be determined. In particular, it is not clear whether it would result in a turbulent eddy diffusivity, or anti-diffusivity, or something else entirely. In this paper, we present the first direct numerical simulations of turbulence in horizontal shear flows…
When a fluid system is subject to strong rotation, centrifugal fluid motion is expected, i.e., denser (lighter) fluid moves outward (inward) from (toward) the axis of rotation. Here we demonstrate, both experimentally and numerically, the existence of an unexpected outward motion of warm and lighter vortices in rotating turbulent convection. This anomalous vortex motion occurs under rapid rotations when the centrifugal buoyancy is sufficiently strong to induce a symmetry-breaking in the vorticity field, i.e., the vorticity of the cold anticyclones overrides that of the warm cyclones. We show t…
We consider rotating convection in a shallow, cylindrical domain. We examine the conditions under which the resulting vortex develops an eye at its core; that is, a region where the poloidal flow reverses and the angular momentum is low. For simplicity, we restrict ourselves to steady, axisymmetric flows in a Boussinesq fluid. Our numerical experiments show that, in such systems, an eye forms as a passive response to the development of a so-called eyewall, a conical annulus of intense, negative azimuthal vorticity that can form near the axis and separates the eye from the primary vortex. We al…
The existence of a tachocline in the Sun has been proven by helioseismology. It is unknown whether a similar shear layer, widely regarded as the seat of magnetic dynamo action, also exists in a protoneutron star. Sudden jumps in magnetic diffusivity $η$ and turbulent vorticity $α$, for example at the interface between the neutron-finger and convective zones, are known to be capable of enhancing mean-field dynamo effects in a protoneutron star. Here we apply the well-known, plane-parallel, MacGregor-Charbonneau analysis of the Solar interfacial dynamo to the protoneutron star problem and calcul…
Tidal dissipation in planets and stars is one of the key physical mechanisms driving the evolution of star-planet and planet-moon systems. Several signatures of its action are observed in planetary systems thanks to their orbital architecture and the rotational state of their components. Tidal dissipation inside the fluid layers of celestial bodies are intrinsically linked to the dynamics and the physical properties of the latter. This complex dependence must be characterized. We compute the tidal kinetic energy dissipated by viscous friction and thermal diffusion in a rotating local fluid Car…
Planetary rotation organizes fluid motions into coherent, long-lived swirls, known as large-scale vortices (LSVs), which play an important role in the dynamics and long-term evolution of geophysical and astrophysical fluids. Here, using direct numerical simulations, we show that LSVs in rapidly rotating mixed convective and stably stratified fluids, which approximates the two-layer, turbulent-stratified dynamics of many geophysical and astrophysical fluids, have a generic shape and that their size can be predicted. We show that LSVs emerge in the convection zone from upscale energy transfers a…
Assessment of turbulent fire dynamics and combustion instabilities using a flamelet model
University of Science and Technology of China(中国科学技术大学);State Key Laboratory of Fire Science(火灾科学国家重点实验室);University of Wuppertal(乌珀塔尔大学);Technical University of Darmstadt(达姆施塔特工业大学)