The phenomenon of vortex merging in two-dimensional hydrodynamics has been investigated through direct numerical simulations. The fast and local processes that occur during the turbulent relaxation of a randomly initialized system in periodic geometry have been examined. The analysis reveals that many of the coherent structures can be described by a local principle of maximization of entropy. The validity of this entropy principle has been further confirmed by time-dependent statistics using a contour-tracking technique. Implications for the description of persistent coherent vortices commonly observed in nature are suggested, including growing evidence for the wide applicability of maximum entropy-based relaxation principles. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.
Local relaxation and maximum entropy in two-dimensional turbulence
SERVIDIO, SERGIO;CARBONE, Vincenzo
2010-01-01
Abstract
The phenomenon of vortex merging in two-dimensional hydrodynamics has been investigated through direct numerical simulations. The fast and local processes that occur during the turbulent relaxation of a randomly initialized system in periodic geometry have been examined. The analysis reveals that many of the coherent structures can be described by a local principle of maximization of entropy. The validity of this entropy principle has been further confirmed by time-dependent statistics using a contour-tracking technique. Implications for the description of persistent coherent vortices commonly observed in nature are suggested, including growing evidence for the wide applicability of maximum entropy-based relaxation principles. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.