Lagrangian frequency spectrum as a diagnostic for magnetohydrodynamic turbulence dynamics

Busse, A. , Mueller, W.-C. and Gogoberidze, G. (2010) Lagrangian frequency spectrum as a diagnostic for magnetohydrodynamic turbulence dynamics. Physical Review Letters, 105(23), p. 235005. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.235005)

Abstract

For the phenomenological description of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence competing models exist, e.g., Boldyrev Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 115002 (2006) and Gogoberidze Phys. Plasmas 14 022304 (2007), which predict the same Eulerian inertial-range scaling of the turbulent energy spectrum although they employ fundamentally different basic interaction mechanisms. A relation is found that links the Lagrangian frequency spectrum with the autocorrelation time scale of the turbulent fluctuations τac and the associated cascade time scale τcas. Thus, the Lagrangian energy spectrum can serve to identify weak (τac≪τcas) and strong (τac∼τcas) interaction mechanisms providing insight into the turbulent energy cascade. The new approach is illustrated by results from direct numerical simulations of two- and three-dimensional incompressible MHD turbulence.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Busse, Professor Angela
• Authors: Busse, A., Mueller, W.-C., and Gogoberidze, G.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• Journal Name: Physical Review Letters
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• ISSN: 0031-9007
• ISSN (Online): 1079-7114