Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Intermittency and scaling in turbulent convection

  • Published:
Acta Mechanica Sinica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Both the velocity and temperature measurements taken in turbulent Rayleigh-B'enard convection experiments have been analyzed. It is found that both the velocity and temperature fluctuations are intermittent and can be well-described by the She-Leveque hierarchical structure. A positive correlation between the vertical velocity and the temperature differences is found both at the center, near the sidewall and near the bottom of the convection cell, supporting that buoyancy is significant in the Bolgiano regime. Moreover, the intermittent nature of the temperature fluctuations in the Bolgiano regime can be attributted to the variations in the temperature dissipation rate. However, the relations between the velocity and temperature structure functions and their correlations implied by the Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling are not supported by experimental measurements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Landau, Lifshitz. Fluid Mechanics. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1987

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Kolmogorov AN, Acad Cr.Sci URSS, 1941, 30: 301

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. Kolmogorov AN.J Fluid Mech, 1962, 12: 82

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  4. She ZS, Leveque E.Phys Rev Lett, 1994, 72: 336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chavarria GR, Baudet C, Ciliberto S.Phys Rev Lett, 1995, 74: 1986

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chavarria GR, Baudet C, Benzi R, et al.J Phys II, 1995, 5: 485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Camussi R, Benzi R.Phys Fluids, 1997, 9: 257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Frick P, Dubrulle B, Babiano A.Phys Rev E, 1995, 51: 5582

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Benzi R, Biferale L, Trovatore E.Phys Rev Lett, 1996, 77: 3114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Leveque E, She ZS.Phys Rev E, 1997, 55: 2789

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chavarria GR, Baudet C, Ciliberto S.Physica D, 1996, 99: 369

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Leveque E, Chavarria GR, Baudet C, et al.Phys Fluids, 1999, 11: 1869

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Monin AS, Yaglom AM. Statistical Fluid Mechanics. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1975

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bolgiano R.J Geophys Res, 1959, 64: 2226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Obukhov AM.Dpkl Akad Nauk SSSR, 1959, 125: 1246

    Google Scholar 

  16. Procaccia I, Zeitak R.Phys Rev Lett, 1989, 62: 2128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. L'vov VS.Phys Rev Lett, 1991, 67: 687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Yakhot V.Phys Rev Lett, 1992, 69: 769

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. Grossmann S, L'vov VS.Phys Rev E, 1993, 47: 4161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ashkenazi S, Steinberg V.Phys Rev Lett, 1999, 83: 4760

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Shang XD, Xia KQ.Phys Rev E, 2001, 64: 065301(R)

  22. Wu XZ, Kadanoff L, Libchaber A, et al.Phys Rev Lett, 1990, 64: 2140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Chiliá F, Ciliberto S, Innocenti C et al.Nuovo Cimento D, 1993, 15: 1229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Zhou SQ, Xia KQ.Phys Rev Lett, 2001, 87: 064501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Heslot F, Castaing B, Libchaber A.Phys Rev A, 1987, 36: 5870

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Sano M, Wu XZ, Libchaber A.Phys Rev A, 1989, 40: 6421

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Qiu XL, Yao SH, Tong P.Phys Rev E, 2000, 61: R6075

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Qiu XL, Tong P.Phys Rev E, 2001, 64: 035304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Shang XD. [PhD thesis], Hongkong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002

  30. Ching ESC.Phys Rev A, 1991, 44: 3622

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Ching ESC.Phys Rev E, 2000, 61: R33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Benzi R, Toschi F, Tripiccione R.J Stat Phys, 1998, 93: 3

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  33. Ching ESC, She ZS, Su W, et al.Phys Rev E, 2002, 65: 066303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Benzi R, Biferale L, Ciliberto S, et al.Physica D, 1996, 96: 162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Ching ESC, Choy TP, Chui KW.Mod Phys Lett B, 2003, 17: 131

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  36. Calzavarini E, Toschi F, Tripiccione R.Phys Rev E, 2002, 66: 016304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Belmonte A, Tilgner A, Libchaber A.Phys Rev E, 1994, 50: 269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Ching ESC, Chan KL.Phys Rev E, 2001 63: 047303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Ching ESC, Kwok CY.Phys Rev E, 2000, 62: R7587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Benzi R, Tripiccione R, Massaioli F, et al.Europhys Lett, 1994, 25: 341

    Google Scholar 

  41. Benzi R, Massaioli F, Succi S, et al.Europhys Lett, 1994, 28: 231

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Emily S. C. Ching

Authors
  1. Emily S. C. Ching
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The project supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (CUHK 4119/98P and 4286/00P)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ching, E.S.C. Intermittency and scaling in turbulent convection. Acta Mech Sinica 19, 385–393 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02484573

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02484573

Key Words

Search

Navigation