Ribbon Turbulence
Antoine Venaille (Phys-ENS), Louis-Philippe Nadeau (EAPS), Geoffrey K., Vallis (CEMPS)

TL;DR
This paper explores how bottom friction influences the non-linear behavior of two-layer quasi-geostrophic flows, revealing a transition from inverse energy cascade to ribbon-dominated jets and barriers to mixing.
Contribution
It demonstrates how bottom friction alters flow structures, showing the emergence of ribbons and jets, and applies statistical mechanics to explain potential vorticity dynamics.
Findings
Low bottom friction leads to inverse cascade and barotropization.
High bottom friction results in ribbon-like jets and potential vorticity barriers.
Ribbons can prevent flow relaxation and promote multiple jets.
Abstract
We investigate the non-linear equilibration of a two-layer quasi-geostrophic flow in a channel forced by an imposed unstable zonal mean flow, paying particular attention to the role of bottom friction. In the limit of low bottom friction, classical theory of geostrophic turbulence predicts an inverse cascade of kinetic energy in the horizontal with condensation at the domain scale and barotropization on the vertical. By contrast, in the limit of large bottom friction, the flow is dominated by ribbons of high kinetic energy in the upper layer. These ribbons correspond to meandering jets separating regions of homogenized potential vorticity. We interpret these result by taking advantage of the peculiar conservation laws satisfied by this system: the dynamics can be recast in such a way that the imposed mean flow appears as an initial source of potential vorticity levels in the upper…
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