Variable energy flux in turbulence

Abstract

Abstract In three-dimensional hydrodynamic turbulence forced at large length scales, a constant energy flux Π u flows from large scales to intermediate scales, and then to small scales. It is well known that for multiscale energy injection and dissipation, the energy flux Π u varies with scales. In this review we describe this principle and show how this general framework is useful for describing a variety of turbulent phenomena. Compared to Kolmogorov’s spectrum, the energy spectrum steepens in turbulence involving quasi-static magnetofluid, Ekman friction, stable stratification, magnetohydrodynamics, and solution with dilute polymer. However, in turbulent thermal convection, in unstably stratified turbulence such as Rayleigh–Taylor turbulence, and in shear turbulence, the energy spectrum has an opposite behaviour due to an increase of energy flux with wavenumber. In addition, we briefly describe the role of variable energy flux in quantum turbulence, in binary-fluid turbulence including time-dependent Landau–Ginzburg and Cahn–Hillianrd equations, and in Euler turbulence. We also discuss energy transfers in anisotropic turbulence.