Entropy and Turbulence Structure

Some new perspectives are offered on the spectral and spatial structure of turbulent flows, in the context of conservation principles and entropy. In recent works, we have shown that the turbulence energy spectra are derivable from the maximum entropy principle, with good agreement with experimental data across the entire wavenumber range. Dissipation can also be attributed to the Reynolds number effect in wall-bounded turbulent flows. Within the global energy and dissipation constraints, the gradients (d/dy+ or d2/dy+2) of the Reynolds stress components neatly fold onto respective curves, so that function prescriptions (dissipation structure functions) can serve as a template to expand to other Reynolds numbers. The Reynolds stresses are fairly well prescribed by the current scaling and dynamical formalism so that the origins of the turbulence structure can be understood and quantified from the entropy perspective.

Large-scale Structure and Turbulence Transport in the Inner Solar Wind: Comparison of Parker Solar Probe’s First Five Orbits with a Global 3D Reynolds-averaged MHD Model

Simulation results from a global magnetohydrodynamic model of the solar corona and solar wind are compared with Parker Solar Probe (PSP) observations during its first five orbits. The fully three-dimensional model is based on Reynolds-averaged mean-flow equations coupled with turbulence-transport equations. The model includes the effects of electron heat conduction, Coulomb collisions, turbulent Reynolds stresses, and heating of protons and electrons via a turbulent cascade. Turbulence-transport equations for average turbulence energy, cross helicity, and correlation length are solved concurrently with the mean-flow equations. Boundary conditions at the coronal base are specified using solar synoptic magnetograms. Plasma, magnetic field, and turbulence parameters are calculated along the PSP trajectory. Data from the first five orbits are aggregated to obtain trends as a function of heliocentric distance. Comparison of simulation results with PSP data shows good agreement, especially for mean-flow parameters. Synthetic distributions of magnetic fluctuations are generated, constrained by the local rms turbulence amplitude given by the model. Properties of this computed turbulence are compared with PSP observations.

Experimental Investigation of 900 Intake Flow Patterns with and without Submerged Vanes under Sediment Feeding Conditions

In this study, two experiments were conducted in a 90⁰ water intake to study 3D flow patterns and sediment distribution using submerged vanes under sediment feeding and live-bed conditions. One column three vanes were installed at a 20⁰ angle maintaining for a water discharge ratio of q_r ~ 0.1. Three-dimensional mean and turbulent velocity components of flow in 90⁰ channel intake were measured by Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV). Flow characteristics of the intake structure area with no vanes are compared with those condition. Results showed that three vanes with single column reduced the amount of sediment by 20% in the intake diversion. In the downstream corner of the intake, high velocities were measured where scouring occurred. The vanes affected the intensity of secondary flow, turbulence energy, flow separation, and moved sediment deposition downstream of the main channel.

Evolution of turbulent kinetic energy during the entire sandstorm process

An adaptive segmented stationary method for non-stationary signal is proposed to reveal the turbulent kinetic energy evolution during the entire sandstorm process observed at the Qingtu Lake Observation Array. Sandstorm which is a common natural disaster is mechanically characterized by a particle-laden two-phase flow experiencing wall turbulence, with an extremely high Reynolds number and significant turbulent kinetic energy. Turbulence energy transfer is important to the understanding of sandstorm dynamics. This study indicates that large-/very-large-scale coherent structures originally exist in the rising stage of sandstorms with a streamwise kinetic energy of 75 % rather than gradually forming. In addition to carrying a substantial portion of energy, the very-large-scale-motions are active structures with strong nonlinear energy transfer. These structures gain energy from strong nonlinear interaction. As sandstorm evolves, these large structures are gradually broken by quadratic phase coupling, with the energy fraction reducing to 40 % in the declining stage. The nonlinear process in the steady and declining stages weakens and maintains a balanced budget of energy. The systematic bispectrum results provide a new perspective for further insight of sandstorms.

The Transport and Evolution of MHD Turbulence throughout the Heliosphere: Models and Observations

A detailed study of solar wind turbulence throughout the heliosphere in both the upwind and downwind directions is presented. We use an incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence model that includes the effects of electrons, the separation of turbulence energy into proton and electron heating, the electron heat flux, and Coulomb collisions between protons and electrons. We derive expressions for the turbulence cascade rate corresponding to the energy in forward and backward propagating modes, the fluctuating kinetic and magnetic energy, the normalized cross-helicity, and the normalized residual energy, and calculate the turbulence cascade rate from 0.17 to 75 au in the upwind and downwind directions. Finally, we use the turbulence transport models to derive cosmic ray (CR) parallel and perpendicular mean free paths (mfps) in the upwind and downwind heliocentric directions. We find that turbulence in the upwind and downwind directions is different, in part because of the asymmetric distribution of new born pickup ions in the two directions, which results in the CR mfps being different in the two directions. This is important for models that describe the modulation of cosmic rays by the solar wind.

Hydrodynamic Performance of A-Jacks Concrete Armor Units in Riverbeds around Downstream in Flip Buckets

The jet flipped from flip buckets hits the dam’s downstream side as a free jet with an immense amount of energy, leading to bed erosion. Erosion of river bed materials downstream of dams could affect the performance of dams or power plants by altering the tailwater depth, rendering proper designs of controlling structures or erosion reduction methods highly indispensable in this regard. Hence, the hydrodynamic performance of A-Jacks concrete armor units in controlling scour was examined in this study. A-Jacks armors are applicable as a flexible protection without environmental risks often for bed erosion control. The desirable functionality of A-Jacks armors depends on the flow hydrodynamic parameters such as velocity profile variations ( U / U B ), the Reynolds stresses ( τ u ′ w ′ and τ v ′ w ′ ), and the skin friction coefficient ( C f ) created as a consequence of using A-Jacks armors on beds. The size of A-Jacks elements can have a role in increasing the flow turbulence to a certain depth so that after the impact of the flow with A-Jacks armor, the vortices’ intensity as well as the shear stress affecting the bed gradually decreases. The results of the numerical model suggest that the surge in the flow turbulence energy dissipation downstream of flip buckets significantly mitigates the underlying conditions of scouring phenomena, which is evidence of A-Jacks armors’ acceptable performance in scaling down scour depths.

Magnetosheath plasma flow model around Mercury

The magnetosheath is defined as the plasma region between the bow shock, where the super-magnetosonic solar wind plasma is decelerated and heated, and the outer boundary of the intrinsic planetary magnetic field, the so-called magnetopause. Based on the Soucek–Escoubet magnetosheath flow model at the Earth, we present an analytical magnetosheath plasma flow model around Mercury. The model can be used to estimate the plasma flow magnitude and direction at any given point in the magnetosheath exclusively on the basis of the plasma parameters of the upstream solar wind. The model serves as a useful tool to trace the magnetosheath plasma along the streamline both in a forward sense (away from the shock) and a backward sense (toward the shock), offering the opportunity of studying the growth or damping rate of a particular wave mode or evolution of turbulence energy spectra along the streamline in view of upcoming arrival of BepiColombo at Mercury.

Saturation of the internal tide over the inner continental shelf. Part I: Observations

Broadly-distributed measurements of velocity, density and turbulence spanning the inner shelf off central California indicate that (i) the average shoreward-directed internal tide energy flux (〈FE〉) decreases to near 0 at the 25 m isobath; (ii) the vertically-integrated turbulence dissipation rate (〈D〉) is approximately equal to the flux divergence of internal tide energy (∂x〈FE〉); (iii) the ratio of turbulence energy dissipation in the interior relative to the bottom boundary layer (BBL) decreases toward shallow waters; (iv) going inshore, 〈FE〉 becomes decorrelated with the incoming internal wave energy flux; and (v) 〈FE〉 becomes increasingly correlated with stratification toward shallower water.

Experimental observation of the elastic range scaling in turbulent flow with polymer additives

A minute amount of long-chain flexible polymer dissolved in a turbulent flow can drastically change flow properties, such as reducing the drag and enhancing mixing. One fundamental riddle is how these polymer additives interact with the eddies of different spatial scales existing in the turbulent flow and, in turn, alter the turbulence energy transfer. Here, we show how turbulent kinetic energy is transferred through different scales in the presence of the polymer additives. In particular, we observed experimentally the emerging of a previously unidentified scaling range, referred to as the elastic range, where increasing amount of energy is transferred by the elasticity of the polymers. In addition, the existence of the elastic range prescribes the scaling of high-order velocity statistics. Our findings have important implications to many turbulence systems, such as turbulence in plasmas or superfluids where interaction between turbulent eddies and other nonlinear physical mechanisms are often involved.