arXiv subjects

Pierre-Philippe Cortet

Publications and source records attributed to Pierre-Philippe Cortet.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Visualization of Inertial and Kelvin Waves on the Quantum Vortex Lattice in Superfluid Helium

Superfluid $^4$He subjected to steady rotation develops a regular lattice of quantum vortices aligned with the rotation axis. We prepare this lattice in a rotating cryostat, perturb it with a constant heat flux, and visualize vortex deformation waves that propagate in the lattice and grow in energy with the forcing. Below twice the rotation rate, we show that these waves feature a continuous frequency spectrum whose structure corresponds to inertial waves. At larger frequencies, we report evidences supporting the observation of a turbulent cascade of Kelvin waves. Our experiments hence provide a direct approach to deepen our understanding of collective dynamics in perturbed quantum vortex systems across all quantum fluids.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

Laboratory observation of internal gravity wave turbulence in a three-dimensional, large-scale facility

The search for solutions to the theory of weakly non-linear internal gravity wave turbulence is an active research topic. It is notably stimulated by the fact that this regime could drive fine-scale ocean dynamics for which the identification of a physical model could yield improved parametrizations in global oceanic models. In this context, analytical works lead to diverse predictions and the experimental observation of a regime of developed weakly-non-linear internal wave turbulence constitutes a major, still unachieved, objective of experimentalists in the field. In this study, building on recent experimental developments, we present laboratory observations of internal gravity wave turbulence in a linearly stratified fluid, performed in a large-scale, three-dimensional facility allowing the forcing of long-wavelength internal waves. Our setup allows to access large Reynolds numbers favoring the development of turbulent power-law spectra while keeping the Froude number relatively low in order to remain weakly non-linear. As the forcing amplitude increases, the flow seems to approach a wave turbulence regime: we indeed observe the progressive construction of a continuous distribution of energy both in the frequency and wave number spaces, whereas the spatio-temporal spectra indicate that the energy remains almost exclusively carried by internal gravity waves verifying the dispersion relation. We finally show that, as the transition to turbulence proceeds, the bicoherence spectrum of the velocity field becomes smooth over the internal wave frequency domain, taking values of the order of the Froude number. While these observations are in line with the phenomenology of weakly non-linear wave turbulence, the power laws in $k^{-3}$ we report over about a decade for the horizontal and vertical spatial energy spectra agree with the prediction that can be made from raw [...]

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2024

On the kinetics of internal gravity waves beyond the hydrostatic regime

We present a new derivation of the kinetic equation for weak, non-hydrostatic internal gravity wave turbulence. The equation is equivalent to the one obtained by Caillol & Zeitlin (2000), but it takes a canonical form. We show that it conserves the energy without involving the resonance condition in frequency, and look for the isotropic part of the steady, scale invariant solutions. We provide a parametrization of the resonant manifold of non-hydrostatic internal gravity wave triadic interactions. This allows us to simplify the collision integral, and to evaluate the transfer coefficients of all triadic interactions. In the hydrostatic limit, our equation is equivalent to the Hamiltonian description of Lvov & Tabak (2001).

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arXiv2023

Energy spectra of non-local internal gravity wave turbulence

Starting from the classical formulation of the weak turbulence theory in a density stratified fluid, we derive a simplified version of the kinetic equation of internal gravity wave turbulence. This equation allows us to uncover scaling laws for the spatial and temporal energy spectra of internal wave turbulence which are consistent with typical scaling exponents observed in the oceans. The keystone of our description is the assumption that the energy transfers are dominated by a class of non-local resonant interactions, known as the ``induced diffusion'' triads, which conserve the ratio between the wave frequency and vertical wave number. Our analysis remarkably shows that the internal wave turbulence cascade is associated to an apparent constant flux of wave action.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2023

Internal wave turbulence in a stratified fluid with and without eigenmodes of the experimental domain

We present laboratory experiments on turbulence in a linearly stratified fluid driven by an ensemble of internal gravity waves which approaches statistical homogeneity and axi-symmetry. In a way similar to several recent experimental works, non-linearities develop through the establishment of a set of internal wave modes at discrete frequencies, when the forcing amplitude is increased. We show that the most energetic of these modes are resonant eigenmodes of the fluid domain. The discretization of the energy in frequency and wavenumber associated to the emergence of these modes prevents the flow from approaching a regime described by the Weak/Wave Turbulence Theory, in which a forward cascade carried by a statistical ensemble of weakly non-linear waves in an infinite domain forms an energy continuum in the frequency and wavenumber spaces. We then show that the introduction of slightly tilted panels at the top and at the bottom of the fluid domain allows to inhibit the emergence of the discrete wave modes. In this new configuration, the non-linear regime results in a continuum of energy over one decade of frequencies which is mainly carried by internal gravity waves verifying the dispersion relation. We therefore achieved a turbulent flow approaching a three-dimensional internal wave turbulence regime with no discretization of the energy in the frequency and wavenumber domains. These results constitute a significant step forward in the search of the laboratory observation of a fully-developed weakly-non-linear internal-gravity-wave turbulence.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

Debonding of a soft adhesive fibril in contact with an elastomeric pillar

The debonding criterion of fibrils of soft adhesive materials is a key element regarding the quantitative modelisation of pressure sensitive adhesive tapes peeling energy. We present in this article an experimental study of the detachment of a commercial acrylic adhesive tape from the top surface of a single micrometric pillar of PDMS elastomer. During an experiment, the pillar and the adhesive, after being put in contact, are separated at a constant displacement rate, resulting in the formation, the elongation and the final detachment of a fibril of adhesive material. A systematic study allows us to uncover power laws for the maximum force and the critical elongation of the fibril at debonding as a function of the diameter of the cylindrical pillar which controls the diameter of the fibril. The scaling law evidenced for the critical elongation appears as a first step toward the understanding of the debonding criterion of fibrils of soft adhesive materials. In addition, viscoelastic digitation at the triple debonding line is observed during detachment for large pillar diameters. The wavelength and penetration length of the fingers that we report appear to be consistent with existing models based on pure elastic mechanical response.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2021

Three-dimensionality of the triadic resonance instability of a plane inertial wave

We analyze theoretically and experimentally the triadic resonance instability (TRI) of a plane inertial wave in a rotating fluid. Building on the classical triadic interaction equations between helical modes, we show by numerical integration that the maximum growth rate of the TRI is found for secondary waves that do not propagate in the same vertical plane as the primary wave (the rotation axis is parallel to the vertical). In the inviscid limit, we prove this result analytically, in which case the change in the horizontal propagation direction induced by the TRI evolves from $60^\circ$ to $90^\circ$ depending on the frequency of the primary wave. Thanks to a wave generator with a large spatial extension in the horizontal direction of invariance of the forced wave, we are able to report experimental evidence that the TRI of a plane inertial wave is three-dimensional. The wavevectors of the secondary waves produced by the TRI are shown to match the theoretical predictions based on the maximum growth rate criterion. These results reveal that the triadic resonant interactions between inertial waves are very efficient at redistributing energy in the horizontal plane, normal to the rotation axis.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2020

Quantitative experimental observation of weak inertial-wave turbulence

We report the quantitative experimental observation of the weak inertial-wave turbulence regime of rotating turbulence. We produce a statistically steady homogeneous turbulent flow that consists of nonlinearly interacting inertial waves, using rough top and bottom boundaries to prevent the emergence of a geostrophic flow. As the forcing amplitude increases, the temporal spectrum evolves from a discrete set of peaks to a continuous spectrum. Maps of the bicoherence of the velocity field confirm such a gradual transition between discrete wave interactions at weak forcing amplitude, and the regime described by weak turbulence theory (WTT) for stronger forcing. In the former regime, the bicoherence maps display a near-zero background level, together with sharp localized peaks associated with discrete resonances. By contrast, in the latter regime the bicoherence is a smooth function that takes values of the order of the Rossby number, in line with the infinite-domain and random-phase assumptions of WTT. The spatial spectra then display a power-law behavior, both the spectral exponent and the spectral level being accurately predicted by WTT at high Reynolds number and low Rossby number.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2020

Shortcut to geostrophy in wave-driven rotating turbulence: the quartetic instability

We report on laboratory experiments of wave-driven rotating turbulence. A set of wavemakers produces inertial-wave beams that interact nonlinearly in the central region of a water tank mounted on a rotating platform. The forcing thus injects energy into inertial waves only. For moderate forcing amplitude, part of the energy of the forced inertial waves is transferred to subharmonic waves, through a standard triadic resonance instability. This first step is broadly in line with the theory of weak turbulence. Surprisingly however, stronger forcing does not lead to an inertial-wave turbulence regime. Instead, most of the kinetic energy condenses into a vertically invariant geostrophic flow, even though the latter is unforced. We show that resonant quartets of inertial waves can trigger an instability -- the ``quartetic instability'' -- that leads to such spontaneous emergence of geostrophy. In the present experiment, this instability sets in as a secondary instability of the classical triadic instability.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

Linear and nonlinear regimes of an inertial wave attractor

We present an experimental analysis of the linear and non-linear regimes of an attractor of inertial waves in a trapezoidal cavity under rotation. Varying the rotation rate and the forcing amplitude and wavelength, we identify the scaling laws followed by the attractor amplitude and wavelength in both regimes. In particular, we show that the non-linear scaling laws can be well described by replacing the fluid viscosity in the linear model by a turbulent viscosity, a result that could help extrapolating attractor theory to geo/astrophysically relevant situations. We further study the triadic resonance instability of the attractor which is at the origin of the turbulent viscosity. We show that the typical frequencies of the subharmonic waves produced by the instability behaves very differently from previously reported numerical results and from the prediction of the theory of triadic resonance. This behavior might be related to the deviation from horizontal invariance of the attractor in our experiment in relation with the presence of vertical walls of the cavity, an effect that should be at play in all practical situations.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2018

Wake of inertial waves of a horizontal cylinder in horizontal translation

We analyze theoretically and experimentally the wake behind a horizontal cylinder of diameter $d$ horizontally translated at constant velocity $U$ in a fluid rotating about the vertical axis at a rate $Ω$. Using particle image velocimetry measurements in the rotating frame, we show that the wake is stabilized by rotation for Reynolds number ${\rm Re}=Ud/ν$ much larger than in a non-rotating fluid. Over the explored range of parameters, the limit of stability is ${\rm Re} \simeq (275 \pm 25) / {\rm Ro}$, with ${\rm Ro}=U/2Ωd$ the Rossby number, indicating that the stabilizing process is governed by the Ekman pumping in the boundary layer. At low Rossby number, the wake takes the form of a stationary pattern of inertial waves, similar to the wake of surface gravity waves behind a ship. We compare this steady wake pattern to a model, originally developed by [Johnson, J. Fluid Mech. 120, 359 (1982)], assuming a free-slip boundary condition and a weak streamwise perturbation. Our measurements show a quantitative agreement with this model for ${\rm Ro}\lesssim 0.3$. At larger Rossby number, the phase pattern of the wake is close to the prediction for an infinitely small line object. However, the wake amplitude and phase origin are not correctly described by the weak-streamwise-perturbation model, calling for an alternative model for the boundary condition at moderate rotation rate.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

Two-dimensionalization of the flow driven by a slowly rotating impeller in a rapidly rotating fluid

We characterize the two-dimensionalization process in the turbulent flow produced by an impeller rotating at a rate $ω$ in a fluid rotating at a rate $Ω$ around the same axis for Rossby number $Ro=ω/Ω$ down to $10^{-2}$. The flow can be described as the superposition of a large-scale vertically invariant global rotation and small-scale shear layers detached from the impeller blades. As $Ro$ decreases, the large-scale flow is subjected to azimuthal modulations. In this regime, the shear layers can be described in terms of wakes of inertial waves traveling with the blades, originating from the velocity difference between the non-axisymmetric large-scale flow and the blade rotation. The wakes are well defined and stable at low Rossby number, but they become disordered at $Ro$ of order of 1. This experiment provides insight into the route towards pure two-dimensionalization induced by a background rotation for flows driven by a non-axisymmetric rotating forcing.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

Turbulent drag in a rotating frame

What is the turbulent drag force experienced by an object moving in a rotating fluid? This open and fundamental question can be addressed by measuring the torque needed to drive an impeller at constant angular velocity $ω$ in a water tank mounted on a platform rotating at a rate $Ω$. We report a dramatic reduction in drag as $Ω$ increases, down to values as low as $12$\% of the non-rotating drag. At small Rossby number $Ro = ω/Ω$, the decrease in drag coefficient $K$ follows the approximate scaling law $K \sim Ro$, which is predicted in the framework of nonlinear inertial wave interactions and weak-turbulence theory. However, stereoscopic particle image velocimetry measurements indicate that this drag reduction rather originates from a weakening of the turbulence intensity in line with the two-dimensionalization of the large-scale flow.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Multiscale Stick-Slip Dynamics of Adhesive Tape Peeling

Using a high-speed camera, we follow the propagation of the detachment front during the peeling of an adhesive tape from a flat surface. In a given range of peeling velocity, this front displays a multiscale unstable dynamics, entangling two well-separated spatiotemporal scales, which correspond to microscopic and macroscopic dynamical stick-slip instabilities. While the periodic release of the stretch energy of the whole peeled ribbon drives the classical macro-stick-slip, we show that the micro-stick-slip, due to the regular propagation of transverse dynamic fractures discovered by Thoroddsen et al. [Phys. Rev. E 82, 046107 (2010)], is related to a high-frequency periodic release of the elastic bending energy of the adhesive ribbon concentrated in the vicinity of the peeling front.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2015

Influence of the multipole order of the source on the decay of an inertial wave beam in a rotating fluid

We analyze theoretically and experimentally the far-field viscous decay of a two-dimensional inertial wave beam emitted by a harmonic line source in a rotating fluid. By identifying the relevant conserved quantities along the wave beam, we show how the beam structure and decay exponent are governed by the multipole order of the source. Two wavemakers are considered experimentally, a pulsating and an oscillating cylinder, aiming to produce a monopole and a dipole source, respectively. The relevant conserved quantity which discriminates between these two sources is the instantaneous flowrate along the wave beam, which is non-zero for the monopole and zero for the dipole. For each source the beam structure and decay exponent, measured using particle image velocimetry, are in good agreement with the predictions.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Rate-dependent elastic hysteresis during the peeling of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

The modelling of the adherence energy during peeling of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives (PSA) has received much attention since the 1950's, uncovering several factors that aim at explaining their high adherence on most substrates, such as the softness and strong viscoelastic behaviour of the adhesive, the low thickness of the adhesive layer and its confinement by a rigid backing. The more recent investigation of adhesives by probe-tack methods also revealed the importance of cavitation and stringing mechanisms during debonding, underlining the influence of large deformations and of the related non-linear response of the material, which also intervenes during peeling. Although a global modelling of the complex coupling of all these ingredients remains a formidable issue, we report here some key experiments and modelling arguments that should constitute an important step forward. We first measure a non-trivial dependence of the adherence energy on the loading geometry, namely through the influence of the peeling angle, which is found to be separable from the peeling velocity dependence. This is the first time to our knowledge that such adherence energy dependence on the peeling angle is systematically investigated and unambiguously demonstrated. Secondly, we reveal an independent strong influence of the large strain rheology of the adhesives on the adherence energy. We complete both measurements with a microscopic investigation of the debonding region. We discuss existing modellings in light of these measurements and of recent soft material mechanics arguments, to show that the adherence energy during peeling of PSA should not be associated to the propagation of an interfacial stress singularity. The relevant deformation mechanisms are actually located over the whole adhesive thickness, and the adherence energy during peeling of PSA should rather be associated to the energy loss by viscous friction and by rate-dependent elastic hysteresis.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2015

Disentangling inertial waves from eddy turbulence in a forced rotating turbulence experiment

We present a spatio-temporal analysis of a statistically stationary rotating turbulence experiment, aiming to extract a signature of inertial waves, and to determine the scales and frequencies at which they can be detected. The analysis uses two-point spatial correlations of the temporal Fourier transform of velocity fields obtained from time-resolved stereoscopic particle image velocimetry measurements in the rotating frame. We quantify the degree of anisotropy of turbulence as a function of frequency and spatial scale. We show that this space-time-dependent anisotropy is well described by the dispersion relation of linear inertial waves at large scale, while smaller scales are dominated by the sweeping of the waves by fluid motion at larger scales. This sweeping effect is mostly due to the low-frequency quasi-two-dimensional component of the turbulent flow, a prominent feature of our experiment which is not accounted for by wave turbulence theory. These results question the relevance of this theory for rotating turbulence at the moderate Rossby numbers accessible in laboratory experiments, which are relevant to most geophysical and astrophysical flows.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Direct and inverse energy cascades in a forced rotating turbulence experiment

We present experimental evidence for a double cascade of kinetic energy in a statistically stationary rotating turbulence experiment. Turbulence is generated by a set of vertical flaps which continuously injects velocity fluctuations towards the center of a rotating water tank. The energy transfers are evaluated from two-point third-order three-component velocity structure functions, which we measure using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry in the rotating frame. Without global rotation, the energy is transferred from large to small scales, as in classical three-dimensional turbulence. For nonzero rotation rates, the horizontal kinetic energy presents a double cascade: a direct cascade at small horizontal scales and an inverse cascade at large horizontal scales. By contrast, the vertical kinetic energy is always transferred from large to small horizontal scales, a behavior reminiscent of the dynamics of a passive scalar in two-dimensional turbulence. At the largest rotation rate the flow is nearly two-dimensional, and a pure inverse energy cascade is found for the horizontal energy. To describe the scale-by-scale energy budget, we consider a generalization of the Kármán-Howarth-Monin equation to inhomogeneous turbulent flows, in which the energy input is explicitly described as the advection of turbulent energy from the flaps through the surface of the control volume where the measurements are performed.

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