High-order velocity structure functions in turbulent shear flows

Abstract

Measurements are presented of the velocity structure function on the axis of a turbulent jet at Reynolds numbersRλ≤ 852 and in a turbulent duct flow atRλ= 515. Moments of the structure function up to the eighteenth order were calculated, primarily with a view to establish accurately the dependence on the order of the inertial range power-law exponent and to draw conclusions about the distribution of energy transfer in the inertial range. Adequate definition of the probability density of the structure function was achieved only for moments of ordern≤ 10. It is shown, however, that, although the values of moments ofn> 10 diverges from their true values, the dependence of the moment of the structure function on the separationris still given to a fair accuracy for moments up ton≈ 18. The results demonstrate that the inertial-range power-law exponent is closely approximated by a quadratic dependence on the power which for lower-order moments (n[lsim ] 12) would be consistent with a lognormal distribution. Higher-order moments diverge, however, from a lognormal distribution, which gives weight to Mandelbrot's (1971) conjecture that ‘Kolmogorov's third hypothesis’ is untenable in the strict sense. The intermittency parameter μ, appearing in the power-law exponent, has been determined from sixth-order moments 〈(δμ)6〉 ∼r2−μto be μ = 0.2 ± 0.05. This value coincides with that determined from non-centred dissipation correlations measured in identical conditions.