Universality and saturation of intermittency in passive scalar turbulence

Extraction of invariant manifolds and application to turbulence with a passive scalar

The reduction of dimensionality of physical systems, especially in fluid dynamics, leads in many situations to nonlinear ordinary differential equations which have global invariant manifolds with algebraic expressions containing relevant physical information on the original system. We present a method to identify such manifolds, and we apply it to a reduced model for the Lagrangian evolution of field gradients in homogeneous and isotropic turbulence with a passive scalar.

Symmetry Breaking in Stochastic Dynamics and Turbulence

Symmetries play paramount roles in dynamics of physical systems. All theories of quantum physics and microworld including the fundamental Standard Model are constructed on the basis of symmetry principles. In classical physics, the importance and weight of these principles are the same as in quantum physics: dynamics of complex nonlinear statistical systems is straightforwardly dictated by their symmetry or its breaking, as we demonstrate on the example of developed (magneto)hydrodynamic turbulence and the related theoretical models. To simplify the problem, unbounded models are commonly used. However, turbulence is a mesoscopic phenomenon and the size of the system must be taken into account. It turns out that influence of outer length of turbulence is significant and can lead to intermittency. More precisely, we analyze the connection of phenomena such as behavior of statistical correlations of observable quantities, anomalous scaling, and generation of magnetic field by hydrodynamic fluctuations with symmetries such as Galilean symmetry, isotropy, spatial parity and their violation and finite size of the system.

Steep Cliffs and Saturated Exponents in Three-Dimensional Scalar Turbulence

The intermittency of a passive scalar advected by three-dimensional Navier-Stokes turbulence at a Taylor-scale Reynolds number of 650 is studied using direct numerical simulations on a 4096^{3} grid; the Schmidt number is unity. By measuring scalar increment moments of high orders, while ensuring statistical convergence, we provide unambiguous evidence that the scaling exponents saturate to 1.2 for moment orders beyond about 12, indicating that scalar intermittency is dominated by the most singular shocklike cliffs in the scalar field. We show that the fractal dimension of the spatial support of steep cliffs is about 1.8, whose sum with the saturation exponent value of 1.2 adds up to the space dimension of 3, thus demonstrating a deep connection between the geometry and statistics in turbulent scalar mixing. The anomaly for the fourth and sixth order moments is comparable to that in the Kraichnan model for the roughness exponent of 4/3.

Clustering, fronts, and heat transfer in turbulent suspensions of heavy particles

Heavy inertial particles transported by a turbulent flow are shown to concentrate in the regions where an advected passive scalar, such as temperature, displays very strong frontlike discontinuities. This novel effect is responsible for extremely high levels of fluctuations for the passive field sampled by the particles that impacts the heat fluxes exchanged between the particles and the surrounding fluid. Instantaneous and averaged heat fluxes are shown to follow strongly intermittent statistics and anomalous scaling laws.

Fluctuations of a passive scalar in a turbulent mixing layer

The turbulent flow originating downstream of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a mixing layer has great relevance in many applications, ranging from atmospheric physics to combustion in technical devices. The mixing of a substance by the turbulent velocity field is usually involved. In this paper, a detailed statistical analysis of fluctuations of a passive scalar in the fully developed region of a turbulent mixing layer from a direct numerical simulation is presented. Passive scalar spectra show inertial ranges characterized by scaling exponents -4/3 and -3/2 in the streamwise and spanwise directions, in agreement with a recent theoretical analysis of passive scalar scaling in shear flows [Celani et al., J. Fluid Mech. 523, 99 (2005)]. Scaling exponents of high-order structure functions in the streamwise direction show saturation of intermittency with an asymptotic exponent ζ_{∞}=0.4 at large orders. Saturation of intermittency is confirmed by the self-similarity of the tails of the probability density functions of the scalar increments at different scales r with the scaling factor r^{-ζ_{∞}} and by the analysis of the cumulative probability of large fluctuations. Conversely, intermittency saturation is not observed for the spanwise increments and the relative scaling exponents agree with recent results for homogeneous isotropic turbulence with mean scalar gradient. Probability density functions of the scalar increments in the three directions are compared to assess anisotropy.

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar field near two dimensions

The anomalous scaling of the single-time structure functions of a passive scalar field advected by the velocity field governed by the stochastic Navier-Stokes equation is investigated by the field theoretic renormalization group and the operator-product expansion with inclusion of additional ultraviolet divergences related to the spatial dimension d=2. Some modification of the standard minimal subtraction scheme is used to calculate the turbulent Prandtl number and the anomalous exponents within the one-loop approximation of a perturbation theory. It is shown that the taking into account of these additional divergences is in full agreement with results obtained in the framework of the usual analytical expansion technique, which are valid for d>2.

Arbitrary-order Hilbert spectral analysis for time series possessing scaling statistics: comparison study with detrended fluctuation analysis and wavelet leaders

In this paper we present an extended version of Hilbert-Huang transform, namely arbitrary-order Hilbert spectral analysis, to characterize the scale-invariant properties of a time series directly in an amplitude-frequency space. We first show numerically that due to a nonlinear distortion, traditional methods require high-order harmonic components to represent nonlinear processes, except for the Hilbert-based method. This will lead to an artificial energy flux from the low-frequency (large scale) to the high-frequency (small scale) part. Thus the power law, if it exists, is contaminated. We then compare the Hilbert method with structure functions (SF), detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), and wavelet leader (WL) by analyzing fractional Brownian motion and synthesized multifractal time series. For the former simulation, we find that all methods provide comparable results. For the latter simulation, we perform simulations with an intermittent parameter μ=0.15. We find that the SF underestimates scaling exponent when q>3. The Hilbert method provides a slight underestimation when q>5. However, both DFA and WL overestimate the scaling exponents when q>5. It seems that Hilbert and DFA methods provide better singularity spectra than SF and WL. We finally apply all methods to a passive scalar (temperature) data obtained from a jet experiment with a Taylor's microscale Reynolds number Re(λ)≃250. Due to the presence of strong ramp-cliff structures, the SF fails to detect the power law behavior. For the traditional method, the ramp-cliff structure causes a serious artificial energy flux from the low-frequency (large scale) to the high-frequency (small scale) part. Thus DFA and WL underestimate the scaling exponents. However, the Hilbert method provides scaling exponents ξ(θ)(q) quite close to the one for longitudinal velocity, indicating a less intermittent passive scalar field than what was believed before.

Second-order structure function in fully developed turbulence

We relate the second-order structure function of a time series with the power spectrum of the original variable, taking an assumption of statistical stationarity. With this approach, we find that the structure function is strongly influenced by the large scales. The large-scale contribution and the contribution range are, respectively, 79% and 1.4 decades for a Kolmogorov -5/3 power spectrum. We show numerically that a single scale influence range, over smaller scales is about 2 decades. We argue that the structure function is not a good method to extract the scaling exponents when the data possess large energetic scales. An alternative methodology, the arbitrary order Hilbert spectral analysis which may constrain this influence within 0.3 decade, is proposed to characterize the scaling property directly in an amplitude-frequency space. An analysis of passive scalar (temperature) turbulence time series is presented to show the influence of large-scale structures in real turbulence and the efficiency of the Hilbert-based methodology. The corresponding scaling exponents ζ(θ)(q) provided by the Hilbert-based approach indicate that the passive scalar turbulence field may be less intermittent than what was previously believed.

Influence of anisotropy on anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by the Navier-Stokes velocity field

The influence of weak uniaxial small-scale anisotropy on the stability of the scaling regime and on the anomalous scaling of the single-time structure functions of a passive scalar advected by the velocity field governed by the stochastic Navier-Stokes equation is investigated by the field theoretic renormalization group and operator-product expansion within one-loop approximation of a perturbation theory. The explicit analytical expressions for coordinates of the corresponding fixed point of the renormalization-group equations as functions of anisotropy parameters are found, the stability of the three-dimensional Kolmogorov-like scaling regime is demonstrated, and the dependence of the borderline dimension d(c) is an element of (2,3] between stable and unstable scaling regimes is found as a function of the anisotropy parameters. The dependence of the turbulent Prandtl number on the anisotropy parameters is also briefly discussed. The influence of weak small-scale anisotropy on the anomalous scaling of the structure functions of a passive scalar field is studied by the operator-product expansion and their explicit dependence on the anisotropy parameters is present. It is shown that the anomalous dimensions of the structure functions, which are the same (universal) for the Kraichnan model, for the model with finite time correlations of the velocity field, and for the model with the advection by the velocity field driven by the stochastic Navier-Stokes equation in the isotropic case, can be distinguished by the assumption of the presence of the small-scale anisotropy in the systems even within one-loop approximation. The corresponding comparison of the anisotropic anomalous dimensions for the present model with that obtained within the Kraichnan rapid-change model is done.

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by a turbulent velocity field with finite correlation time and uniaxial small-scale anisotropy

The influence of uniaxial small-scale anisotropy on the stability of the scaling regimes and on the anomalous scaling of the structure functions of a passive scalar advected by a Gaussian solenoidal velocity field with finite correlation time is investigated by the field theoretic renormalization group and operator product expansion within one-loop approximation. Possible scaling regimes are found and classified in the plane of exponents epsilon-eta , where epsilon characterizes the energy spectrum of the velocity field in the inertial range E proportional, variantk;{1-2epsilon} , and eta is related to the correlation time of the velocity field at the wave number k which is scaled as k;{-2+eta} . It is shown that the presence of anisotropy does not disturb the stability of the infrared fixed points of the renormalization group equations, which are directly related to the corresponding scaling regimes. The influence of anisotropy on the anomalous scaling of the structure functions of the passive scalar field is studied as a function of the fixed point value of the parameter u , which represents the ratio of turnover time of scalar field and velocity correlation time. It is shown that the corresponding one-loop anomalous dimensions, which are the same (universal) for all particular models with a concrete value of u in the isotropic case, are different (nonuniversal) in the case with the presence of small-scale anisotropy and they are continuous functions of the anisotropy parameters, as well as the parameter u . The dependence of the anomalous dimensions on the anisotropy parameters of two special limits of the general model, namely, the rapid-change model and the frozen velocity field model, are found when u-->infinity and u-->0 , respectively.

Large-scale anisotropy in scalar turbulence

The effect of anisotropy on the statistics of a passive tracer transported by a turbulent flow is investigated. We show that under broad conditions an arbitrarily small amount of anisotropy propagates to the large scales where it eventually dominates the structure of the concentration field. This result is obtained analytically in the framework of an exactly solvable model and confirmed by numerical simulations of scalar transport in two-dimensional turbulence.

Large-scale structure of passive scalar turbulence

We investigate the large-scale statistics of a passive scalar transported by a turbulent velocity field by means of direct numerical simulations. We focus on scales larger than the characteristic length scale of scalar injection, yet smaller than the correlation length of the velocity. We show the existence of nontrivial long-range correlations in the form of new power laws for the decay of high-order coarse-grained scalar cumulants. This result contradicts the classical scenario of Gibbs equilibrium statistics that should hold in the absence of scalar flux. The breakdown of "thermal equilibrium" at large scales is traced back to the statistical geometry of turbulent dispersion of two scalar blobs. The numerical values obtained for the scaling exponents of the coarse-grained scalar cumulants are in agreement with recent theoretical results.

Turbulence with pressure: anomalous scaling of a passive vector field

The field theoretic renormalization group (RG) and the operator-product expansion are applied to the model of a transverse (divergence-free) vector quantity, passively advected by the "synthetic" turbulent flow with a finite (and not small) correlation time. The vector field is described by the stochastic advection-diffusion equation with the most general form of the inertial nonlinearity; it contains as special cases the kinematic dynamo model, linearized Navier-Stokes (NS) equation, the special model without the stretching term that possesses additional symmetries and has a close formal resemblance with the stochastic NS equation. The statistics of the advecting velocity field is Gaussian, with the energy spectrum E(k) proportional to k(1-epsilon) and the dispersion law omega proportional to k(-2+eta), k being the momentum (wave number). The inertial-range behavior of the model is described by seven regimes (or universality classes) that correspond to nontrivial fixed points of the RG equations and exhibit anomalous scaling. The corresponding anomalous exponents are associated with the critical dimensions of tensor composite operators built solely of the passive vector field, which allows one to construct a regular perturbation expansion in epsilon and eta; the actual calculation is performed to the first order (one-loop approximation), including the anisotropic sectors. Universality of the exponents, their (in)dependence on the forcing, effects of the large-scale anisotropy, compressibility, and pressure are discussed. In particular, for all the scaling regimes the exponents obey a hierarchy related to the degree of anisotropy: the more anisotropic is the contribution of a composite operator to a correlation function, the faster it decays in the inertial range. The relevance of these results for the real developed turbulence described by the stochastic NS equation is discussed.

Eulerian statistically preserved structures in passive scalar advection

We analyze numerically the time-dependent linear operators that govern the dynamics of Eulerian correlation functions of a decaying passive scalar advected by a stationary, forced two-dimensional Navier-Stokes turbulence. We show how to naturally discuss the dynamics in terms of effective compact operators that display Eulerian statistically preserved structures which determine the anomalous scaling of the correlation functions. In passing we point out a bonus of the present approach, in providing analytic predictions for the time-dependent correlation functions in decaying turbulent transport.

Small scale velocity jumps in shear turbulence

We measure structure functions and structures in uniformly sheared strong turbulence using an array of hot-wire velocity sensors. We find that the large-scale shear persists down to the smallest scales. There is a marked asymmetry between velocity increments measured in the shear direction, and those measured in the plane perpendicular to it. In the shear direction the scaling exponents tend to a constant, signifying the presence of small-scale cliffs. Direct evidence for those is presented by the spatial structure of the strongest velocity gradients.

Plume statistics in thermal turbulence: mixing of an active scalar

Statistical properties of the temperature field in turbulent convection are studied experimentally. We show that the skewness of the plus and minus temperature increments can be used to quantitatively characterize the mixing zone in the convective flow and the result reveals how the mixing zone evolves with the Rayleigh number. We also present evidence for the saturation of the temperature structure function exponent and that the saturation is related to thermal plumes. A more direct study of the thermal plumes suggests that their sizes have a distribution that is approximately log-normal.

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by the turbulent velocity field with finite correlation time: two-loop approximation

The renormalization group and operator product expansion are applied to the model of a passive scalar quantity advected by the Gaussian self-similar velocity field with finite, and not small, correlation time. The inertial-range energy spectrum of the velocity is chosen in the form E(k) proportional, variant k(1-2 epsilon ), and the correlation time at the wave number k scales as k(-2+eta). Inertial-range anomalous scaling for the structure functions and other correlation functions emerges as a consequence of the existence in the model of composite operators with negative scaling dimensions, identified with anomalous exponents. For eta> epsilon, these exponents are the same as in the rapid-change limit of the model; for eta< epsilon, they are the same as in the limit of a time-independent (quenched) velocity field. For epsilon =eta (local turnover exponent), the anomalous exponents are nonuniversal through the dependence on a dimensionless parameter, the ratio of the velocity correlation time, and the scalar turnover time. The nonuniversality reveals itself, however, only in the second order of the epsilon expansion and the exponents are derived to order epsilon (2), including anisotropic contributions. It is shown that, for moderate order of the structure function n, and the space dimensionality d, finite correlation time enhances the intermittency in comparison with both the limits: the rapid-change and quenched ones. The situation changes when n and/or d become large enough: the correction to the rapid-change limit due to the finite correlation time is positive (that is, the anomalous scaling is suppressed), it is maximal for the quenched limit and monotonically decreases as the correlation time tends to zero.

Temperature statistics in two-dimensional stably stratified turbulence

Using two-dimensional direct numerical simulations, the statistics of temperature differences in stably stratified turbulence are studied. Comparison with passive scalar statistics in similar flows suggests that the stably stratified case is qualitatively similar to the passive case. Probability distribution functions of temperature differences between points separated by different distances collapse using the same scalings in both passive scalar and stably stratified simulations. Some dependence on stratification strength is evident, but the qualitative similarity may be due to the dominance of the large-scale flow in determining the temperature statistics. We also explore the stratification dependence of the statistics of temperature values and gradients.

Thickness fluctuations in turbulent soap films

Rapidly flowing soap films provide a simple and attractive system to study two-dimensional hydrodynamics and turbulence. By measuring the rapid fluctuations of the thickness of the film in the turbulent regime, we find that the statistics of these fluctuations closely resemble those of a passive scalar field in a turbulent flow. The scalar spectra are well described by Kolmogorov-like scaling while the high-order moments show clear deviations from regular scaling just like dye or temperature fluctuations in 3D turbulent flows.

Effect of vorticity on second- and third-order statistics of passive scalar gradients

The influence of vorticity on second- and third-order moments of the spatial derivatives of a forced, passive scalar field has been studied in the framework of a simplified problem; the analysis is restricted to dominating rotation and molecular diffusion is represented by a linear model. The results reveal that, in the case of a passive scalar experiencing forcing in an isotropic medium, both vorticity and diffusion counteract anisotropy imposed on the scalar field. Anisotropy at the level of second-order moments appears to be destroyed essentially by the action of vorticity.

Scaling and universality in turbulent convection

Anomalous correlation functions of the temperature field in two-dimensional turbulent convection are shown to be universal with respect to the choice of external sources. Moreover, they are equal to the anomalous correlations of the concentration field of a passive tracer advected by the convective flow itself. The statistics of velocity differences is found to be universal, self-similar, and close to Gaussian. These results point to the conclusion that temperature intermittency in two-dimensional turbulent convection may be traced back to the existence of statistically preserved structures, as it is in passive scalar turbulence.

Evolution of triangles in a two-dimensional turbulent flow

As a turbulent flow advects a swarm of Lagrangian markers, the mutual separation between particles grows, and the shape of the swarm gets distorted. By following three points in an experimental turbulent two-dimensional flow with a k(-5/3) spectrum, we investigate the geometry of triangles, in a statistical sense. Two well-characterized shape distributions are identified. At long times when the average size of the triangles <R> is larger than the integral scale, the distribution of shapes is Gaussian. When the size of the triangle <R> is in the inertial range and grows as t(3/2) (Richardson's law), a plausibly self-similar, non-Gaussian probability distribution is observed, where very elongated triangles have a much larger probability than in the Gaussian regime. These results are discussed, and, in the latter case, compared with the predictions of a stochastic model recently introduced [A. Pumir et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 5324 (2000)].

Anomalous scaling, nonlocality, and anisotropy in a model of the passively advected vector field

A model of the passive vector quantity advected by the Gaussian velocity field with the covariance approximately delta(t-t('))|x-x(')|(epsilon) is studied; the effects of pressure and large-scale anisotropy are discussed. The inertial-range behavior of the pair correlation function is described by an infinite family of scaling exponents, which satisfy exact transcendental equations derived explicitly in d dimensions by means of the functional techniques. The exponents are organized in a hierarchical order according to their degree of anisotropy, with the spectrum unbounded from above and the leading (minimal) exponent coming from the isotropic sector. This picture extends to higher-order correlation functions. Like in the scalar model, the second-order structure function appears nonanomalous and is described by the simple dimensional exponent: S2 approximately r(2-epsilon). For the higher-order structure functions, S(2n)approximately r(n(2-epsilon)+ delta(n)), the anomalous scaling behavior is established as a consequence of the existence in the corresponding operator product expansions of "dangerous" composite operators, whose negative critical dimensions determine the anomalous exponents delta(n)<0. A close formal resemblance of the model with the stirred Navier-Stokes equation reveals itself in the mixing of relevant operators and is the main motivation of the paper. Using the renormalization group, the anomalous exponents are calculated in the O(epsilon) approximation, in large d dimensions, for the even structure functions up to the twelfth order.

Intermittency of a passive tracer in the inverse energy cascade

We report an experimental study of the dispersion of a passive tracer in the two-dimensional inverse energy cascade, which shows that a nonintermittent velocity field can sustain a strongly intermittent concentration field. The experiment suggests the exponents of the intermittent concentration field saturate at large orders towards xi(infinity) approximately 1.2. These observations are in excellent agreement with a recent numerical work [A. Celani, A. Lanotte, A. Mazzino, and M. Vergassola, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2385 (2000)] and theoretical expectations [E. Balkovsky and V. Lebedev, Phys. Rev. E 58, 5776 (1998); V. Yakhot, ibid. 55, 329 (1997)].

Turbulence and passive scalar transport in a free-slip surface

We consider the two-dimensional (2D) flow in a flat free-slip surface that bounds a three-dimensional (3D) volume in which the flow is turbulent. The equations of motion for the two-dimensional flow in the surface are neither compressible nor incompressible but strongly influenced by the 3D flow underneath the surface. The velocity correlation functions in the 2D surface and in the 3D volume scale with the same exponents. In the viscous subrange the amplitudes are the same, but in the inertial subrange the 2D one is reduced to 2/3 of the 3D amplitude. The surface flow is more strongly intermittent than the 3D volume flow. Geometric scaling theory is used to derive a relation between the scaling of the velocity field and the density fluctuations of a passive scalar advected on the surface.

Passive scalar intermittency in low temperature helium flows

We report new measurements of mixing of passive temperature field in a turbulent flow. The use of low temperature helium gas allows us to span a range of microscale Reynolds number, R(lambda), from 100 to 650. The exponents xi(n) of the temperature structure functions </straight theta(x+r)-straight theta(x)/(n)> approximately r(xi(n)) are shown to saturate to xi(infinity) approximately 1.45+/-0.1 for the highest orders, n approximately 10. This saturation is a signature of statistics dominated by frontlike structures, the cliffs. Statistics of the cliffs' characteristics are performed, particularly their widths are shown to scale as the Kolmogorov length scale.

Anisotropic homogeneous turbulence: hierarchy and intermittency of scaling exponents in the anisotropic sectors

We present the first measurements of anisotropic statistical fluctuations in perfectly homogeneous turbulent flows. We address both problems of intermittency in anisotropic sectors and hierarchical ordering of anisotropies on a direct numerical simulation of a three dimensional random Kolmogorov flow. We achieved an homogeneous and anisotropic statistical ensemble by randomly shifting the forcing phases. We observe high intermittency as a function of the order of the velocity correlation within each fixed anisotropic sector and a hierarchical organization of scaling exponents at fixed order of the velocity correlation at changing the anisotropic sector.

Scaling laws in two-dimensional turbulent convection

Two-dimensional homogeneous turbulent convection is studied numerically. Though Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling is approximately valid, strong differences exist in the intermittency properties of velocity and temperature increments, where the latter are similar to those of a passive scalar. The main difference of the small-scale dynamics compared to a passive scalar arises from the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, but this process does not affect the scaling properties. A condition for a scalar field to show the ramp-and-cliff structures of a passive scalar is discussed.

Anomalous scaling in two models of passive scalar advection: effects of anisotropy and compressibility

The problem of the effects of compressibility and large-scale anisotropy on anomalous scaling behavior is considered for two models describing passive advection of scalar density and tracer fields. The advecting velocity field is Gaussian, delta correlated in time, and scales with a positive exponent epsilon. Explicit inertial-range expressions for the scalar correlation functions are obtained; they are represented by superpositions of power laws with nonuniversal amplitudes and universal anomalous exponents (dependent only on epsilon and alpha, the compressibility parameter). The complete set of anomalous exponents for the pair correlation functions is found nonperturbatively, in any space dimension d, using the zero-mode technique. For higher-order correlation functions, the anomalous exponents are calculated to O(epsilon(2)) using the renormalization group. As in the incompressible case, the exponents exhibit a hierarchy related to the degree of anisotropy: the leading contributions to the even correlation functions are given by the exponents from the isotropic shell, in agreement with the idea of restored small-scale isotropy. As the degree of compressibility increases, the corrections become closer to the leading terms. The small-scale anisotropy reveals itself in the odd ratios of correlation functions: the skewness factor slowly decreases going down to small scales for the incompressible case, but starts to increase if alpha is large enough. The higher odd dimensionless ratios (hyperskewness, etc.) increase, thus signaling persistent small-scale anisotropy; this effect becomes more pronounced for larger values of alpha.

Statistical geometry in scalar turbulence

A general link between geometry and intermittency in passive scalar turbulence is established. The anomalous part of the scalar correlation functions is shown to be dominated by special functions of particle configurations. Their major property is that those functions calculated along the particle trajectories remain statistically constant in time. Those conservation laws qualitatively imply the persistence of scalar particles in strongly clustered geometries.

Passive scalar turbulence in high dimensions

Exploiting a Lagrangian strategy we present a numerical study for both perturbative and nonperturbative regions of the Kraichnan advection model. The major result is the numerical assessment of the first-order 1/d expansion by Chertkov, Falkovich, Kolokolov, and Lebedev [Phys. Rev. E 52, 4924 (1995)] for the fourth-order scalar structure function in the limit of high dimension d's. In addition to the perturbative results, the behavior of the anomaly for the sixth-order structure functions versus the velocity scaling exponent, xi, is investigated and the resulting behavior is discussed.

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar in the presence of strong anisotropy

Field theoretic renormalization group and the operator product expansion are applied to a model of a passive scalar quantity straight theta(t,x), advected by the Gaussian strongly anisotropic velocity field with the covariance infinity delta(t-t('))/x-x(')/(epsilon). Inertial-range anomalous scaling behavior is established, and explicit asymptotic expressions for the structure functions S(n)(r) identical with<[straight theta(t,x+r)-straight theta(t,x)](n)> are obtained. They are represented by superpositions of power laws; the corresponding anomalous exponents, which depend explicitly on the anisotropy parameters, are calculated to the first order in epsilon in any space dimension d. In the limit of vanishing anisotropy, the exponents are associated with tensor composite operators built of the scalar gradients, and exhibit a kind of hierarchy related to the degree of anisotropy: the less is the rank, the less is the dimension and, consequently, the more important is the contribution to the inertial-range behavior. The leading terms of the even (odd) structure functions are given by the scalar (vector) operators. For the finite anisotropy, the exponents cannot be associated with individual operators (which are essentially "mixed" in renormalization), but the aforementioned hierarchy survives for all the cases studied. The second-order structure function S2 is studied in more detail using the renormalization group and zero-mode techniques; the corresponding exponents and amplitudes are calculated within the perturbation theories in epsilon, 1/d, and in the anisotropy parameters. If the anisotropy of the velocity is strong enough, the skewness factor S(3)/S(3/2)(2) increases going down towards the depth of the inertial range; the higher-order odd ratios increase even if the anisotropy is weak.

Geometry of Lagrangian dispersion in turbulence

Turbulent flows disperse Lagrangian particles resulting in the growth of pairwise separations and, for sets of three or more particles, in a nontrivial dynamics of their configuration. The shape of such clusters is controlled by the competition between coherent straining of the cluster and the independent random motion of the particles due to small scale velocity fluctuations. We introduce a statistical description of the geometry of the Lagrangian clusters and predict a self-similar distribution of shapes, which should be observable in the inertial range of scales in high Reynolds numbers flows.

Manifestation of anisotropy persistence in the hierarchies of magnetohydrodynamical scaling exponents

An example of a turbulent system where the failure of the hypothesis of small-scale isotropy restoration is detectable both in the "flattening" of the inertial-range scaling exponent hierarchy and in the behavior of odd-order dimensionless ratios, e.g., skewness and hyperskewness, is presented. Specifically, within the kinematic approximation in magnetohydrodynamical turbulence, we show that for compressible flows, the isotropic contribution to the scaling of magnetic correlation functions and the first anisotropic ones may become practically indistinguishable. Moreover, the skewness factor now diverges as the Peclet number goes to infinity, a further indication of small-scale anisotropy.

Scalar turbulence

The advection of a passive substance by a turbulent flow is important in many natural and engineering settings. The concentration of such a substance can exhibit complex dynamic behaviour that shows many phenomenological parallels with the behaviour of the turbulent velocity field. Yet the statistical properties of this so-called 'passive scalar' turbulence are decoupled from those of the underlying velocity field. Passive scalar turbulence has recently yielded to mathematical analysis, and such progress may ultimately lead to a better understanding of the still intractable problem of fluid turbulence itself.

Persistence of small-scale anisotropies and anomalous scaling in a model of magnetohydrodynamics turbulence

The problem of anomalous scaling in magnetohydrodynamics turbulence is considered within the framework of the kinematic approximation, in the presence of a large-scale background magnetic field. The velocity field is Gaussian, delta-correlated in time, and scales with a positive exponent xi. Explicit inertial-range expressions for the magnetic correlation functions are obtained; they are represented by superpositions of power laws with nonuniversal amplitudes and universal (independent of the anisotropy and forcing) anomalous exponents. The complete set of anomalous exponents for the pair correlation function is found nonperturbatively, in any space dimension d, using the zero-mode technique. For higher-order correlation functions, the anomalous exponents are calculated to O(xi) using the renormalization group. The exponents exhibit a hierarchy related to the degree of anisotropy; the leading contributions to the even correlation functions are given by the exponents from the isotropic shell, in agreement with the idea of restored small-scale isotropy. Conversely, the small-scale anisotropy reveals itself in the odd correlation functions: the skewness factor is slowly decreasing going down to small scales and higher odd dimensionless ratios (hyperskewness, etc.) dramatically increase, thus diverging in the r-->0 limit.