Thermodynamic description of the relaxation of two-dimensional turbulence using Tsallis statistics
- Center for Computational Science, Boston University, 3 Cummington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States)
Two-dimensional Euler turbulence and drift turbulence in a pure-electron plasma column have been experimentally observed to relax to metaequilibrium states that do not maximize the Boltzmann entropy but, rather, seem to minimize enstrophy. We show that a recent generalization of thermodynamics and statistics due to Tsallis [Phys. Lett. A {bold 195}, 324 (1994); J. Stat. Phys. {bold 52}, 479 (1988)] is capable of explaining this phenomenon in a natural way. In particular, the maximization of the generalized entropy {ital S}{sub {ital q}} with {ital q}= 1/2 for the pure-electron plasma column leads to precisely the same profiles predicted by the restricted minimum enstrophy theory of Huang and Driscoll [Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 72}, 2187 (1994)]. These observations make possible the construction of a comprehensive thermodynamic description of two-dimensional turbulence. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
- OSTI ID:
- 283824
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics, Vol. 53, Issue 5; Other Information: PBD: May 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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