The influence of entropy fluctuations on the interaction of turbulence with a shock wave

Abstract

Direct numerical simulation and inviscid linear analysis are used to study the interaction of a normal shock wave with an isotropic turbulent field of vorticity and entropy fluctuations. The role of the upstream entropy fluctuations is emphasized. The upstream correlation between the vorticity and entropy fluctuations is shown to strongly influence the evolution of the turbulence across the shock. Negative upstream correlation between u′ and T′ is seen to enhance the amplification of the turbulence kinetic energy, vorticity and thermodynamic fluctuations across the shock wave. Positive upstream correlation has a suppressing effect. An explanation based on the relative effects of bulk compression and baroclinic torque is proposed, and a scaling law is derived for the evolution of vorticity fluctuations across the shock. The validity of Morkovin's hypothesis across a shock wave is examined. Linear analysis is used to suggest that shock-front oscillation would invalidate the relation between urms and Trms, as expressed by the hypothesis.