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Bolgiano scale in confined Rayleigh–Taylor turbulence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2011

G. Boffetta ,
F. De Lillo ,
A. Mazzino  and
S. Musacchio
G. Boffetta*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica Generale and INFN, Università di Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
F. De Lillo
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica Generale and INFN, Università di Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
A. Mazzino
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, INFN and CNISM, via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy
S. Musacchio
Affiliation:
CNRS, Lab. J.A. Dieudonné UMR 6621, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
*
†Email address for correspondence: boffetta@to.infn.it
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Abstract

We investigate the statistical properties of Rayleigh–Taylor turbulence in a three-dimensional convective cell of high aspect ratio, in which one transverse side is much smaller that the others. By means of high-resolution numerical simulation we study the development of the turbulent mixing layer and the scaling properties of the velocity and temperature fields. We show that the system undergoes a transition from a three- to two-dimensional turbulent regime when the width of the turbulent mixing layer becomes larger than the scale of confinement. In the late stage of the evolution the convective flow is characterized by the coexistence of Kolmogorov–Obukhov and Bolgiano–Obukhov scaling at small and large scales, respectively. These regimes are separated by the Bolgiano scale, which is determined by the scale of confinement of the flow. Our results show that the emergence of the Bolgiano–Obukhov scaling in Rayleigh–Taylor turbulence is connected to the onset of an upscale energy transfer induced by the geometrical constraint of the flow.

JFM classification

Turbulent Flows: Turbulence simulation Turbulent Flows: Turbulent convection

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Papers
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Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 690 , 10 January 2012 , pp. 426 - 440
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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