Generation of a large-scale vorticity in a fast-rotating density-stratified turbulence or turbulent convection

Igor Rogachevskii and Nathan Kleeorin
Phys. Rev. E 100, 063101 – Published 2 December 2019

Abstract

We find an instability resulting in generation of large-scale vorticity in a fast-rotating small-scale turbulence or turbulent convection with inhomogeneous fluid density along the rotational axis in anelastic approximation. The large-scale instability causes excitation of two modes: (i) the mode with dominant vertical vorticity and with the mean velocity being independent of the vertical coordinate; (ii) the mode with dominant horizontal vorticity and with the mean momentum being independent of the vertical coordinate. The mode with the dominant vertical vorticity can be excited in a fast-rotating density-stratified hydrodynamic turbulence or turbulent convection. For this mode, the mean entropy is depleted inside the cyclonic vortices, while it is enhanced inside the anticyclonic vortices. The mode with the dominant horizontal vorticity can be excited only in a fast-rotating density-stratified turbulent convection. The developed theory may be relevant for explanation of an origin of large spots observed as immense storms in great planets, e.g., the Great Red Spot in Jupiter and large spots in Saturn. It may be also useful for explanation of an origin of high-latitude spots in rapidly rotating late-type stars.

  • Received 24 June 2019
  • Revised 21 October 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.100.063101

©2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Fluid Dynamics

Authors & Affiliations

Igor Rogachevskii* and Nathan Kleeorin

  • Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410530, Israel and Nordita, Stockholm University and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden

  • *gary@bgu.ac.il; http://www.bgu.ac.il/~gary
  • nat@bgu.ac.il

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Issue

Vol. 100, Iss. 6 — December 2019

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