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On the decay of low-magnetic-Reynolds-number turbulence in an imposed magnetic field

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 March 2010

N. OKAMOTO
Affiliation:
Center for Computational Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
P. A. DAVIDSON*
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
Y. KANEDA
Affiliation:
Department of Computational Science and Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
*
Email address for correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract

We examine the integral properties of freely decaying homogeneous magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence subject to an imposed magnetic field B0 at low-magnetic Reynolds number. We confirm that, like conventional isotropic turbulence, the fully developed state possesses a Loitsyansky-like integral invariant, in this case I// = − ∫ r2u·u〉 dr, where 〈u(x) ·u(x + rc)〉 = 〈u·u′〉 is the usual two-point velocity correlation and the subscript ⊥ indicates components perpendicular to the imposed field. The conservation of I// for fully developed turbulence places a fundamental restriction on the way in which the integral scales can develop, i.e. it implies u24// ≈ constant where u, ℓ and ℓ// are integral scales. This constraint can be used to estimate the evolution of u(t; B0), ℓ(t; B0) and ℓ//(t; B0), and these theoretical decay laws are shown to be in good agreement with numerical simulations.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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