scholarly journals Laminar and weakly turbulent oceanic gravity currents performing inertial oscillations

Ocean Science ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-317
Author(s):  
A. Wirth
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Gravity Current ◽  
Boussinesq Approximation ◽  
Turbulent Fluxes ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Inertial Oscillations

Abstract. The small scale dynamics of a weakly turbulent oceanic gravity current is determined. The gravity current considered is initially at rest and adjusts by performing inertial oscillations to a geostrophic mean flow. The dynamics is explored with a hierarchy of mathematical models. The most involved are the fully 3-D Navier-Stokes equations subject to the Boussinesq approximation. A 1-D and 0-D mathematical model of the same gravity current dynamics are systematically derived. Using this hierarchy and the numerical solutions of the mathematical models, the turbulent dynamics at the bottom and the interface is explored and their interaction investigated. Three different regimes of the small scale dynamics of the gravity current are identified, they are characterised by laminar flow, coherent roll vortices and turbulent dynamics with coherent streaks and bursts. The problem of the rectification of the turbulent fluxes, that is, how to average out the fluctuations and calculate their average influence on the flow, is considered. It is shown that two different regimes of friction are superposed, an Ekman friction applies to the average geostrophic flow and a linear friction, not influenced by rotation, to the inertial oscillations. The combination of the two makes the bulk friction non-local in time for the 0-D model. The implications of the results for parametrisations of the Ekman dynamics and the small scale turbulent fluxes in the planetary boundary layer are discussed.

scholarly journals Laminar and weakly turbulent oceanic gravity currents performing inertial oscillations

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 2001-2045
Author(s):  
A. Wirth
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Gravity Current ◽  
Boussinesq Approximation ◽  
Turbulent Fluxes ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Inertial Oscillations

Abstract. The small scale dynamics of a weakly turbulent oceanic gravity current is determined. The gravity current considered is initially at rest and adjusts by performing inertial oscillations to a geostrophic mean flow. The dynamics is explored with a hierarchy of mathematical models. The most involved are the fully 3-D Navier-Stokes equations subject to the Boussinesq approximation. A 1-D and 0-D mathematical model of the same gravity current dynamics are systematically derived. Using this hierarchy and the numerical solutions of the mathematical models, the turbulent dynamics at the bottom and the interface is explored and their interaction investigated. Three different regimes of the small scale dynamics of the gravity current are identified, they are characterised by laminar flow, coherent roll vortices and turbulent dynamics with coherent streaks and bursts. The problem of the rectification of the turbulent fluxes, that is how to average out the fluctuations and calculate their average influence on the flow is considered. It is shown that two different regimes of friction are superposed, an Ekman friction applies to the average geostrophic flow and a linear friction, not influenced by rotation, to the inertial oscillations. The combination of the two makes the bulk friction non-local in time for the 0-D model. The implications of the results for parametrisations of the Ekman dynamics and the small scale turbulent fluxes in the planetary boundary layer are discussed.

Navier–Stokes solutions of unsteady separation induced by a vortex

2002 ◽  
Vol 465 ◽  
pp. 99-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. V. OBABKO ◽  
K. W. CASSEL
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Recirculation Region ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations ◽  
Scale Interaction

Numerical solutions of the unsteady Navier–Stokes equations are considered for the flow induced by a thick-core vortex convecting along a surface in a two-dimensional incompressible flow. The presence of the vortex induces an adverse streamwise pressure gradient along the surface that leads to the formation of a secondary recirculation region followed by a narrow eruption of near-wall fluid in solutions of the unsteady boundary-layer equations. The locally thickening boundary layer in the vicinity of the eruption provokes an interaction between the viscous boundary layer and the outer inviscid flow. Numerical solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations show that the interaction occurs on two distinct streamwise length scales depending upon which of three Reynolds-number regimes is being considered. At high Reynolds numbers, the spike leads to a small-scale interaction; at moderate Reynolds numbers, the flow experiences a large-scale interaction followed by the small-scale interaction due to the spike; at low Reynolds numbers, large-scale interaction occurs, but there is no spike or subsequent small-scale interaction. The large-scale interaction is found to play an essential role in determining the overall evolution of unsteady separation in the moderate-Reynolds-number regime; it accelerates the spike formation process and leads to formation of secondary recirculation regions, splitting of the primary recirculation region into multiple corotating eddies and ejections of near-wall vorticity. These eddies later merge prior to being lifted away from the surface and causing detachment of the thick-core vortex.

Secondary instability of a temporally growing mixing layer

1987 ◽  
Vol 184 ◽  
pp. 207-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph W. Metcalfe ◽  
Steven A. Orszag ◽  
Marc E. Brachet ◽  
Suresh Menon ◽  
James J. Riley
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Mixing Layer ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Mixing Layers ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Direct Numerical Integration

The three-dimensional stability of two-dimensional vortical states of planar mixing layers is studied by direct numerical integration of the Navier-Stokes equations. Small-scale instabilities are shown to exist for spanwise scales at which classical linear modes are stable. These modes grow on convective timescales, extract their energy from the mean flow and exist at moderately low Reynolds numbers. Their growth rates are comparable with the most rapidly growing inviscid instability and with the growth rates of two-dimensional subharmonic (pairing) modes. At high amplitudes, they can evolve into pairs of counter-rotating, streamwise vortices, connecting the primary spanwise vortices, which are very similar to the structures observed in laboratory experiments. The three-dimensional modes do not appear to saturate in quasi-steady states as do the purely two-dimensional fundamental and subharmonic modes in the absence of pairing. The subsequent evolution of the flow depends on the relative amplitudes of the pairing modes. Persistent pairings can inhibit three-dimensional instability and, hence, keep the flow predominantly two-dimensional. Conversely, suppression of the pairing process can drive the three-dimensional modes to more chaotic, turbulent-like states. An analysis of high-resolution simulations of fully turbulent mixing layers confirms the existence of rib-like structures and that their coherence depends strongly on the presence of the two-dimensional pairing modes.

Axisymmetric Inertial Oscillations in Transient Rotating Flows in a Cylinder

1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 390-396
Author(s):  
Jae Won Kim ◽  
Jae Min Hyun
Keyword(s):  
Large Time ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Numerical Results ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Inertial Oscillations ◽  
Time Duration ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations

A numerical study is made of axisymmetric inertial oscillations in a fluid-filled cylinder. The entire cylinder undergoes a spin-up process from rest with an impulsively started rotation rate Ω(t) = Ω0 + εω cos(ωt). Numerical solutions are obtained to the axisymmetric, time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations. Identification of the inertial oscillations is made by inspecting the evolution of the pressure difference between two pre-set points on the central axis, Cp. In the limit of large time, the inertial frequency thus determined is in close agreement with the results of the classical inviscid theory for solid-body rotation. As in previous experimental studies, the t* − (Ω0/ω) plots are constructed for inertial oscillations, where t* indicates the time duration until the maximum Cp is detected. These detailed numerical results are in broad agreement with the prior experimental data. Flow intensifications under the resonance conditions are illustrated based on the numerical results. Depictions are made of the increase in the amplitude of oscillating part of the total angular momentum under the resonance conditions. Also, the patterns of t* − (Ω0/ω) curves are displayed for different inertial frequency modes.

k ‐ ϵ Model for the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Under Various Thermal Stratifications

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 438-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cédric Alinot ◽  
Christian Masson
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Similarity Theory ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Boussinesq Approximation ◽  
Momentum Equation ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Production Term

This paper presents a numerical method for predicting the atmospheric boundary layer under stable, neutral, or unstable thermal stratifications. The flow field is described by the Reynolds’ averaged Navier-Stokes equations complemented by the k‐ϵ turbulence model. Density variations are introduced into the momentum equation using the Boussinesq approximation, and appropriate buoyancy terms are included in the k and ϵ equations. An original expression for the closure coefficient related to the buoyancy production term is proposed in order to improve the accuracy of the simulations. The resulting mathematical model has been implemented in FLUENT. The results presented in this paper include comparisons with respect to the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, measurements, and earlier numerical solutions based on k‐ϵ turbulence models available in the literature. It is shown that the proposed version of the k‐ϵ model significantly improves the accuracy of the simulations for the stable atmospheric boundary layer. In neutral and unstable thermal stratifications, it is shown that the version of the k‐ϵ models available in the literature also produce accurate simulations.

Numerical prediction of incompressible separation bubbles

1975 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 631-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Roger Briley ◽  
Henry Mcdonald
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Shear Layer ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations ◽  
Free Stream Turbulence ◽  
Separation Bubbles

A method is presented for performing detailed computations of thin incompressible separation bubbles on smooth surfaces. The analysis consists of finite-difference solutions to the time-dependent boundary-layer or Navier-Stokes equations for the flow in the immediate vicinity of the bubble. The method employs the McDonald-Fish turbulence model, to predict the development of the time-mean flow field, as influenced by the free-stream turbulence level. It also employs a viscous-inviscid interaction model, which accounts for the elliptic interaction between the shear layer and inviscid free stream. The numerical method is based on an alternating-direction implicit scheme for the vorticity equation. It employs transformations, to allow the free-stream boundary to change in time with the shape of the computed shear layer, and to ensure an adequate resolution of the sublayer region. Numerical solutions are presented for transitional bubbles on an NACA 663-018 airfoil at zero angle of incidence with chordal Reynolds numbers of 2·0 × 106 and 1·7 × 106. These have a qualitative behaviour similar to that observed in numerous experiments; they are also in reasonable quantitative agreement with available experimental data. Little difference is found between steady solutions of the boundary-layer and Navier-Stokes equations for these flow conditions. Numerical studies based on mesh refinement suggest that the well-known singularity at separation, which is present in conventional solutions of the steady boundary-layer equations when the free-stream velocity is specified, is effectively removed when viscous-inviscid interaction is allowed to influence the imposed velocity distribution.

Direct numerical simulation of turbulent flows with cloud-like off-source heating

1999 ◽  
Vol 385 ◽  
pp. 199-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. BASU ◽  
R. NARASIMHA
Keyword(s):  
Turbulent Flows ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Streamwise Vortex ◽  
Turbulent Jets ◽  
Boussinesq Approximation ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Volumetric Heating ◽  
Flow Acceleration

Direct numerical solutions of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations have been obtained under the Boussinesq approximation for the temporal evolution of a turbulent jet-like flow subjected to off-source volumetric heating, of the kind that occurs in a cloud due to latent heat release on condensation of water vapour. The results show good qualitative agreement with available experimental data on spatially growing jets. Thus, heating accelerates the flow and arrests jet growth; and turbulence velocities increase with heating but not as rapidly as mean velocities, so normalized intensities drop. It is shown that the baroclinic torque resulting from the heating enhances the vorticity dramatically in all three directions, with a preferential amplification at the higher wavenumbers that results in a rich fine structure at later times in the evolution of the jet. Streamwise vortex pairs, rendered stronger by mean flow acceleration, appear to be responsible for large expulsive motions at certain transverse cross-sections in the ambient fluid near the heated flow; together with the disruption of the toroidal component of the coherent vorticity achieved by heating, this results in an entraining velocity field that is qualitatively different from that around unheated turbulent jets. This mechanism may provide a plausible explanation for the experimentally observed drop in entrainment with off-source heating.

A numerical study of the interaction between unsteay free-stream disturbances and localized variations in surface geometry

1989 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 285-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Bodonyi ◽  
W. J. C. Welch ◽  
P. W. Duck ◽  
M. Tadjfar
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Free Stream ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Surface Geometry ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Tollmien Schlichting

A numerical study of the generation of Tollmien-Schlichting (T–S) waves due to the interaction between a small free-stream disturbance and a small localized variation of the surface geometry has been carried out using both finite–difference and spectral methods. The nonlinear steady flow is of the viscous–inviscid interactive type while the unsteady disturbed flow is assumed to be governed by the Navier–Stokes equations linearized about this flow. Numerical solutions illustrate the growth or decay of the T–S waves generated by the interaction between the free-stream disturbance and the surface distortion, depending on the value of the scaled Strouhal number. An important result of this receptivity problem is the numerical determination of the amplitude of the T–S waves.

Feedback Control of Turbulence

1994 ◽  
Vol 47 (6S) ◽  
pp. S3-S13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parviz Moin ◽  
Thomas Bewley
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Control ◽  
Turbulent Flows ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Flow Equations ◽  
Active Feedback ◽  
Active Feedback Control ◽  
Mathematical Techniques

A brief review of current approaches to active feedback control of the fluctuations arising in turbulent flows is presented, emphasizing the mathematical techniques involved. Active feedback control schemes are categorized and compared by examining the extent to which they are based on the governing flow equations. These schemes are broken down into the following categories: adaptive schemes, schemes based on heuristic physical arguments, schemes based on a dynamical systems approach, and schemes based on optimal control theory applied directly to the Navier-Stokes equations. Recent advances in methods of implementing small scale flow control ideas are also reviewed.

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