Cascade of Kinetic Energy in Three-Dimensional Compressible Turbulence

Jianchun Wang, Yantao Yang, Yipeng Shi, Zuoli Xiao, X. T. He, and Shiyi Chen
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 214505 – Published 21 May 2013
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Abstract

The conservative cascade of kinetic energy is established using both Fourier analysis and a new exact physical-space flux relation in a simulated compressible turbulence. The subgrid scale (SGS) kinetic energy flux of the compressive mode is found to be significantly larger than that of the solenoidal mode in the inertial range, which is the main physical origin for the occurrence of Kolmogorov’s 5/3 scaling of the energy spectrum in compressible turbulence. The perfect antiparallel alignment between the large-scale strain and the SGS stress leads to highly efficient kinetic energy transfer in shock regions, which is a distinctive feature of shock structures in comparison with vortex structures. The rescaled probability distribution functions of SGS kinetic energy flux collapse in the inertial range, indicating a statistical self-similarity of kinetic energy cascades.

  • Received 26 January 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.214505

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Jianchun Wang, Yantao Yang, Yipeng Shi*, Zuoli Xiao, X. T. He, and Shiyi Chen

  • State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems, Center for Applied Physics and Technology, Key Laboratory of High Energy Density Physics Simulation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

  • *ypshi@coe.pku.edu.cn
  • syc@pku.edu.cn

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Issue

Vol. 110, Iss. 21 — 24 May 2013

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