Kolmogorov scaling from random force fields

Abstract

We show that the classical Kolmogorov and Richardson scaling laws in fully developed turbulence are consistent with a random Gaussian force field. Numerical simulations of a shell model approximation to the Navier-Stokes equations suggest that the fluctuations in the force (acceleration) field are scale independent throughout the inertial regime. We conjecture that Lagrangian statistics of the relative velocity in a turbulent flow is determined by the typical force field, whereas the multiscaling is associated to extreme events in the force field fluctuations.

4 pages, 4 figures

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Cited by in corpus (1)

• Three-dimensional turbulent relative dispersion by the Gledzer-Ohkitani-Yamada shell model