The Lagrangian kinetic energy cascade in Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard convection

Abstract

Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard convection at high Rayleigh number exhibits turbulence superimposed on large-scale circulation. While buoyancy forces drive the flow at certain scales, how kinetic energy is transfers across the scales is not understood. Here, utilizing a Lagrangian description of the kinetic energy flux, we present experimental evidence of a split cascade where energy flows downwscale at small scales and upscale at large scales. The flow topology of these energy transfer events differ profoundly, and the transition between them occurs gradually, over a broad range of scales.