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The dynamics of vorticity tubes in homogeneous turbulence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2006

A. Vincent
Affiliation:
CERCA, 5160 bd Decarie, Montréal, Québec H3X 2H9, Canadaand Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada H3C 3J7
M. Meneguzzi
Affiliation:
CERFACS, 42 avenue Gustave Coriolis, 31057 Toulouse, France

Abstract

Analysis of data from a direct simulation of statistically steady homogeneous turbulence suggests that the vorticity tubes, which constitute the main structure of the vorticity field, are produced by shear instabilities. This is confirmed by a decay calculation, in which vorticity sheets appear at first, and then roll up to form the first tubes. These instabilities seem to be at least as important as vortex stretching in transferring energy from large to small scales.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1994 Cambridge University Press

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