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K. R. Sreenivasan

Publications and source records attributed to K. R. Sreenivasan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

The multifractal nature of turbulent energy dissipation

The intermittency of the rate of turbulent energy dissipation $ε$ is investigated experimentally, with special emphasis on its scale-similar facets. This is done using a general formulation in terms of multifractals, and by interpreting measurements in that light. The concept of multiplicative processes in turbulence is (heuristically) shown to lead to multifractal distributions, whose formalism is described in some detail. To prepare proper ground for the interpretation of experimental results, a variety of cascade models is reviewed and their physical contents are analysed qualitatively. Point-probe measurements of $ε$ are made in several laboratory flows and in the atmospheric surface layer, using Taylor's frozen-flow hypothesis. The multifractal spectrum $f(α)$ of $ε$ is measured using different averaging techniques, and the results are shown to be in essential agreement among themselves and with our earlier ones. Also, long data sets obtained in two laboratory flows are used to obtain the latent part of the $f(α)$ curve, confirming Mandelbrot's idea that it can in principle be obtained from linear cuts through a three-dimensional distribution. The tails of distributions of box-averaged dissipation are found to be of the square-root exponential type, and the implications of this finding for the $f(α)$ distribution are discussed. A comparison of the results to a variety of cascade models shows that binomial models give the simplest possible mechanism that reproduces most of the observations. Generalizations to multinomial models are discussed.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2024

Reynolds number required to accurately discriminate between proposed trends of skin friction and normal stress in wall turbulence

In Nagib, Chauhan and Monkewitz~\cite{NCM07} we concluded that nearly all available $C_f$ relations for zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers are in remarkable agreement over the entire range $Re_θ$ $<$ O($10^8$), provided one coefficient is adjusted in each relation by anchoring it to accurate measurements. Regarding the peak of the streamwise turbulence intensity $ ^+_P$, we conclude here that accurate measurements in flows with $Re_τ$ $>$ O($10^6$) are required, especially when looking only at the peak $ ^+_P$ to discriminate between recently proposed trends. We also find remarkable agreement between the three analyses of Monkewitz \cite{M22}, Chen and Sreenivasan \cite{CS22} and Monkewitz and Nagib \cite{MN15}, with some coefficients slightly modified, by underpinning them with the same accurate measurements of $ ^+_P$ from reliable channel and boundary layer data. All the three analyses conclude that the inner peak of $ ^+$ remains finite in the limit of infinite Reynolds number, which is at variance with the unlimited growth of $ ^+_P$ as $\ln{Re}$ $_τ$ predicted by the attached eddy model \cite{MM19}. Accurate measurements of high-order moments and the guidance of consistent asymptotic expansions may help clarify the issue at lower $Re_τ$ values.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2021

Dynamics of three-dimensional turbulence from Navier-Stokes equations

We accomplish two major tasks. First, we show that the turbulent motion at large scales obeys Gaussian statistics in the interval 0 < Rlambda < 8.8, where Rlambda is the microscale Reynolds number, and that the Gaussian flow breaks down to yield place to anomalous scaling at the universal Reynolds number bounding the inequality above. In the inertial range of turbulence that emerges following the breakdown, the effective Reynolds number based on the turbulent viscosity, Rlambda* assumes this same constant value of about 9. This scenario works also for the emergence of turbulence from an initially non-turbulent state. Second, we derive expressions for the anomalous scaling exponents of structure functions and moments of spatial derivatives, by analyzing the Navier-Stokes equations in the form developed by Hopf. We present a novel procedure to close the Hopf equation, resulting in expressions for zetan in the entire range of allowable moment-order, n, and demonstrate that accounting for the temporal dynamics changes the scaling from normal to anomalous. For large n, the theory predicts the saturation of zetan with n, leading to two inferences: (a) the smallest length scale etan = LRe-1 << LRe-3/4, where Re is the large-scale Reynolds number, and (b) velocity excursions across even the smallest length scales can sometimes be as large as the large scale velocity itself. Theoretical predictions for each of these aspects are shown to be in quantitative agreement with available experimental and numerical data.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2019

Latitudinal differential rotation in the solar analogues 16 Cyg A and B

Asteroseismology has undergone a profound transformation as a scientific field following the CoRoT and Kepler space missions. The latter is now yielding the first measurements of latitudinal differential rotation obtained directly from oscillation frequencies. Differential rotation is a fundamental mechanism of the stellar dynamo effect. Our goal is to measure the amount of differential rotation in the solar analogues 16 Cyg A and B, which are the components of a binary system. These stars are the brightest observed by Kepler and have therefore been extensively observed, with exquisite precision on their oscillation frequencies. We modelled the acoustic power spectrum of 16 Cyg A and B using a model that takes into account the contribution of differential rotation to the rotational frequency splitting. The estimation was carried out in a Bayesian setting. We then inverted these results to obtain the rotation profile of both stars under the assumption of a solar-like functional form. We observe that the magnitude of latitudinal differential rotation has a strong chance of being solar-like for both stars, their rotation rates being higher at the equator than at the pole. The measured latitudinal differential rotation, defined as the difference of rotation rate between the equator and the pole, is $320\pm269$ nHz and $440^{+363}_{-383}$ nHz for 16 Cyg A and B, respectively, confirming that the rotation rates of these stars are almost solar-like. Their equatorial rotation rates are $535\pm75$ nHz and $565_{-129}^{+150}$ nHz. Our results are in good agreement with measurements obtained from spectropolarimetry, spectroscopy, and photometry. We present the first conclusive measurement of latitudinal differential rotation for solar analogues. Their rotational profiles are very close to those of the Sun. These results depend weakly on the uncertainties of the stellar parameters.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2018

Cancellation exponents in isotropic turbulence and magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

Small scale characteristics of turbulence such as velocity gradients and vorticity fluctuate rapidly in magnitude and oscillate in sign. Much work exists on the characterization of magnitude variations, but far less on sign oscillations. While averages performed on large scales tend to zero because of the oscillatory character, those performed on increasingly smaller scales will vary with the averaging scale in some characteristic way. This characteristic variation at high Reynolds numbers is captured by the so-called cancellation exponent, which measures how local averages tend to cancel out as the averaging scale increases, in space or time. Past experimental work suggests that the exponents in turbulence depend on whether one considers quantities in full three-dimensional space or uses their one- or two-dimensional cuts. We compute cancellation exponents of vorticity and longitudinal as well as transverse velocity gradients in isotropic turbulence at Taylor-scale Reynolds number up to 1300 on $8192^3$ grids. The 2D cuts yield the same exponents as those for full 3D, while the 1D cuts yield smaller numbers, suggesting that the results in higher dimensions are more reliable. We make the case that the presence of vortical filaments in isotropic turbulence leads to this conclusion. This effect is particularly conspicuous in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, where an increased degree of spatial coherence develops along the imposed magnetic field.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2018

Butterfly diagram of a Sun-like star observed using asteroseismology

Stellar magnetic fields are poorly understood but are known to be important for stellar evolution and exoplanet habitability. They drive stellar activity, which is the main observational constraint on theoretical models for magnetic field generation and evolution. Starspots are the main manifestation of the magnetic fields at the stellar surface. In this study we measure the variation of their latitude with time, called a butterfly diagram in the solar case, for the solar analogue HD 173701 (KIC 8006161). To that effect, we use Kepler data, to combine starspot rotation rates at different epochs and the asteroseismically determined latitudinal variation of the stellar rotation rates. We observe a clear variation of the latitude of the starspots. It is the first time such a diagram is constructed using asteroseismic data.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2018

Asteroseismic detection of latitudinal differential rotation in 13 Sun-like stars

The differentially rotating outer layers of stars are thought to play a role in driving their magnetic activity, but the underlying mechanisms that generate and sustain differential rotation are poorly understood. We report the measurement of latitudinal differential rotation in the convection zones of 40 Sun-like stars using asteroseismology. For the most significant detections, the stars' equators rotate approximately twice as fast as their mid-latitudes. The latitudinal shear inferred from asteroseismology is much larger than predictions from numerical simulations.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2018

Asymmetry of line profiles of stellar oscillations measured by Kepler for ensembles of solar-like oscillators: impact on mode frequencies and dependence on effective temperature

Oscillation properties are usually measured by fitting symmetric Lorentzian profiles to the power spectra of Sun-like stars. However the line profiles of solar oscillations have been observed to be asymmetrical for the Sun. The physical origin of this line asymmetry is not fully understood, although it should depend on the depth dependence of the source of wave excitation (convective turbulence) and details of the observable (velocity or intensity). For oscillations of the Sun, it has been shown that neglecting the asymmetry leads to systematic errors in the frequency determination. This could subsequently affects the results of seismic inferences of the solar internal structure. Using light curves from the {\it Kepler} spacecraft we have measured mode asymmetries in 43 stars. We confirm that neglecting the asymmetry leads to systematic errors that can exceed the $1σ$ confidence intervals for seismic observations longer than one year. Therefore, the application of an asymmetric Lorentzian profile is to be favoured to improve the accuracy of the internal stellar structure and stellar fundamental parameters. We also show that the asymmetry changes sign between cool Sun-like stars and hotter stars. This provides the best constraints to date on the location of the excitation sources across the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2012

Propagating and annihilating vortex dipoles in the Gross-Pitaevskii equation

Quantum vortex dynamics in Bose-Einstein condensates or superfluid helium can be informatively described by the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation. Various approximate analytical formulae for a single stationary vortex are recalled and their shortcomings demonstrated. Significantly more accurate two-point [2/2] and [3/3] Pade' approximants for stationary vortex profiles are presented. Two straight, singly quantized, antiparallel vortices, located at a distance d apart, form a vortex dipole, which, in the GP model, can either annihilate or propagate indefinitely as a `solitary wave'. We show, through calculations performed in a periodic domain, that the details and types of behavior displayed by vortex dipoles depend strongly on the initial conditions rather than only on the separation distance (as has been previously claimed). It is found, indeed, that the choice of the initial two-vortex profile (i.e., the modulus of the `effective wave function'), strongly affects the vortex trajectories and the time scale of the process: annihilation proceeds more rapidly when low-energy (or `relaxed') initial profiles are imposed. The initial `circular' phase distribution contours, customarily obtained by multiplying an effective wave function for each individual vortex, can be generalized to explicit elliptical forms specified by two parameters; then by `tuning' the elliptical shape at fixed d, a sharp transition between solitary-wave propagation and annihilation is captured. Thereby, a `phase diagram' for this `AnSol' transition is constructed in the space of ellipticity and separation and various limiting forms of the boundary are discussed.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2008

Velocity Statistics Distinguish Quantum Turbulence from Classical Turbulence

By analyzing trajectories of solid hydrogen tracers, we find that the distributions of velocity in decaying quantum turbulence in superfluid $^4$He are strongly non-Gaussian with $1/v^3$ power-law tails. These features differ from the near-Gaussian statistics of homogenous and isotropic turbulence of classical fluids. We examine the dynamics of many events of reconnection between quantized vortices and show by simple scaling arguments that they produce the observed power-law tails.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2006

Characteristic Angular Scales in Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

We investigate the stochasticity in temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation data from {\it Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe}. We show that the angular fluctuations of the temperature is a Markov process with a {\it Markov angular scale}, $Θ_{\rm Markov}=1.01^{+0.09}_{-0.07}$. We characterize the complexity of the CMB fluctuations by means of a Fokker-Planck or Langevin equation and measure the associated Kramers-Moyal coefficients for the fluctuating temperature field $T(\hat n)$ and its increment, $ΔT =T(\hat n_1) - T(\hat n_2)$. Through this method we show that temperature fluctuations in the CMB has fat tails compared to a Gaussian distribution.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2005

Logarithmic scaling in the near-dissipation range of turbulence

A logarithmic scaling for structure functions, in the form $S_p \sim [\ln (r/η)]^{ζ_p}$, where $η$ is the Kolmogorov dissipation scale and $ζ_p$ are the scaling exponents, is suggested for the statistical description of the near-dissipation range for which classical power-law scaling does not apply. From experimental data at moderate Reynolds numbers, it is shown that the logarithmic scaling, deduced from general considerations for the near-dissipation range, covers almost the entire range of scales (about two decades) of structure functions, for both velocity and passive scalar fields. This new scaling requires two empirical constants, just as the classical scaling does, and can be considered the basis for extended self-similarity.

nlin.CD↗
arXiv2005

Fluctuations of temperature gradients in turbulent thermal convection

Broad theoretical arguments are proposed to show, formally, that the magnitude G of the temperature gradients in turbulent thermal convection at high Rayleigh numbers obeys the same advection-diffusion equation that governs the temperature fluctuation T, except that the velocity field in the new equation is substantially smoothed. This smoothed field leads to a -1 scaling of the spectrum of G in the same range of scales for which the spectral exponent of T lies between -7/5 and -5/3. This result is confirmed by measurements in a confined container with cryogenic helium gas as the working fluid for Rayleigh number Ra=1.5x10^{11}. Also confirmed is the logarithmic form of the autocorrelation function of G. The anomalous scaling of dissipation-like quantities of T and G are identical in the inertial range, showing that the analogy between the two fields is quite deep.

nlin.CD↗
arXiv2005

Logarithmically modified scaling of temperature structure functions in thermal convection

Using experimental data on thermal convection, obtained at a Rayleigh number of 1.5 $\times 10^{11}$, it is shown that the temperature structure functions $<ΔT_{r}^p>$, where $ΔT_r$ is the absolute value of the temperature increment over a distance $r$, can be well represented in an intermediate range of scales by $r^{ζ_p} ϕ(r)^{p}$, where the $ζ_p$ are the scaling exponents appropriate to the passive scalar problem in hydrodynamic turbulence and the function $ϕ(r) = 1-a(\ln r/r_h)^2$. Measurements are made in the midplane of the apparatus near the sidewall, but outside the boundary layer.

nlin.CD↗
arXiv2004

Anomalous scaling of low-order structure functions of turbulent velocity

It is now believed that the scaling exponents of moments of velocity increments are anomalous, or that the departures from Kolmogorov's (1941) self-similar scaling increase nonlinearly with the increasing order of the moment. This appears to be true whether one considers velocity increments themselves or their absolute values. However, moments of order lower than 2 of the absolute values of velocity increments have not been investigated thoroughly for anomaly. Here, we discuss the importance of the scaling of non-integer moments of order between +2 and -1, and obtain them from direct numerical simulations at moderate Reynolds numbers (Taylor microscale Reynolds numbers $R_λ\le$ 450) and experimental data at high Reynolds numbers ($R_λ\approx$ 10,000). The relative difference between the measured exponents and Kolmogorov's prediction increases as the moment order decreases towards -1, thus showing that the anomaly that is manifest in high-order moments is present in low-order moments as well. This conclusion provides a motivation for seeking a theory of anomalous scaling as the order of the moment vanishes. Such a theory does not have to consider rare events--which may be affected by non-universal features such as shear--and so may be regarded as advantageous to consider and develop.

nlin.CD↗
arXiv2004

Structure of the most singular vortices in fully developed turbulence

Using high Reynolds number experimental data, we search for most dissipative, most intense vortices. These structures possess a scaling predicted by log-Poisson model for the dissipation field $ε_r$. These new experimental data suggest that the most intense structures have co-dimension less than 2. The log-Poisson statistics is compared with log-binomial which follows from the random $β$-model.

physics.flu-dyn↗