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Title: Measuring scale-dependent shape anisotropy by coarse-graining: Application to inhomogeneous Rayleigh-Taylor turbulence

Journal Article · · Physical Review Fluids (Online)

Here, we generalize the “filtering spectrum” to probe scales along different directions by spatial coarse-graining. This multidimensional filtering spectrum quantifies the spectral content of flows that are not necessarily homogeneous. From multidimensional spectral information, we propose a simple metric for shape anisotropy at various scales. The method is applied to simulations of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) turbulence, which is inhomogeneous and anisotropic. We show that 3D RT has clear shape anisotropy at large scales with approximately 4:3 vertical to horizontal aspect ratio but tends toward isotropy at small scales as expected. In sharp contrast, we find that RT in 2D simulations, which are still the main modeling framework for many applications, is isotropic at large scales and its shape anisotropy increases at smaller scales where structures tend to be horizontally elongated. While this may be surprising, it is consistent with recent results that large-scale isotropy in 2D RT is due to the generation of a large-scale overturning circulation via an upscale cascade, while small-scale anisotropy is due to the stable stratification resultant from such overturning and the inefficient mixing in 2D.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003856; SC0020229; AC02-05CH11231; 80NSSC18K0772; NA0003914; NA0004134; OCE-2123496; PHY-2206380; PHY-2020249; SC0014318; SC0019329
OSTI ID:
2280946
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2204910
Journal Information:
Physical Review Fluids (Online), Vol. 8, Issue 11; ISSN 2469-990X
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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