Patterns in transitional shear turbulence. Part 2: Emergence and optimal wavelength

TL;DR

This paper investigates the emergence, patterns, and wavelength selection of turbulence in wall-bounded shear flows at low Reynolds numbers, revealing how large-scale flow dynamics influence pattern stability and energy dissipation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the transition from uniform turbulence to patterned flow, identifying the optimal wavelength that maximizes energy and dissipation, and elucidates the role of large-scale flow in pattern stability.

Findings

Transition from uniform turbulence to intermittent gaps is smooth.

Wavelength selection is influenced by large-scale flow energy and dissipation.

Optimal wavelength maximizes large-scale flow energy and dissipation.

Abstract

Low Reynolds number turbulence in wall-bounded shear flows \emph{en route} to laminar flow takes the form of oblique, spatially-intermittent turbulent structures. In plane Couette flow, these emerge from uniform turbulence via a spatiotemporal intermittent process in which localised quasi-laminar gaps randomly nucleate and disappear. For slightly lower Reynolds numbers, spatially periodic and approximately stationary turbulent-laminar patterns predominate. The statistics of quasi-laminar regions, including the distributions of space and time scales and their Reynolds number dependence, are analysed. A smooth, but marked transition is observed between uniform turbulence and flow with intermittent quasi-laminar gaps, whereas the transition from gaps to regular patterns is more gradual. Wavelength selection in these patterns is analysed via numerical simulations in oblique domains of various sizes. Via lifetime measurements in minimal domains, and a wavelet-based analysis of wavelength predominance in a large domain, we quantify the existence and non-linear stability of a pattern as a function of wavelength and Reynolds number. We report that the preferred wavelength maximises the energy and dissipation of the large-scale flow along laminar-turbulent interfaces. This optimal behaviour is primarily due to the advective nature of the large-scale flow, with turbulent fluctuations playing only a secondary role.