Inertial range scaling of inhomogeneous turbulence

Abstract

We investigate how inhomogeneity influences the $k^{-5/3}$ inertial range scaling of turbulent kinetic energy spectra (with $k$ the wavenumber). For weak statistical inhomogeneity, the energy spectrum can be described as an equilibrium spectrum plus a perturbation. Theoretical arguments suggest that this latter contribution scales as $k^{-7/3}$. This prediction is assessed using direct numerical simulations of three-dimensional Kolmogorov flow.