Mixing and energy transfer in compressible Rayleigh-Taylor turbulence for initial isothermal stratification
Tengfei Luo, Jianchun Wang
Abstract
In compressible Rayleigh--Taylor instability, flow compressibility plays an important role in the generation of large-scale kinetic energy, which mainly comes from the conversion of potential energy for small stratification parameter (Sr) and conversion of internal energy through pressure-dilatation work for large Sr. The latter leads to bubble heights increasing rapidly and bubbles that are bigger at large Sr. The overall statistics of normalized subgrid-scale (SGS) flux of kinetic energy is nearly independent of Sr, but the reverse SGS flux increases significantly with increase of Sr. The compression motions enhance direct SGS flux and the expansion motions strengthen the reverse SGS flux.
Topics & Concepts
CompressibilityMechanicsKinetic energyStratification (seeds)TurbulenceEnergy fluxPhysicsIsothermal processInstabilityThermodynamicsRayleigh–Taylor instabilityFlux (metallurgy)Classical mechanicsMaterials scienceMetallurgyDormancySeed dormancyAstronomyGerminationBotanyBiologyFluid Dynamics and Turbulent FlowsComputational Fluid Dynamics and AerodynamicsLaser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics