Single-point statistical moments of the nonhomogeneous stochastic advection equation in the small correlation length limit

Abstract

This paper presents the derivation of closed-form expressions of the single-point statistical moments of a solution to a nonhomogeneous stochastic advection equation with a linear relaxation. While analytical solutions exist for homogeneous systems, nonhomogeneous cases have traditionally relied on intensive numerical simulations. Here, we provide an analytical framework for calculating single-point statistical moments by first obtaining the solution to the stochastic advection equation via the method of characteristics, from which the moments are derived. Explicit, closed-form expressions for the first four moments are derived as functions of the characteristic length scale of the stochastic velocity field and the spatial derivatives of time-mean profile of the field. The analytical results are validated against numerical simulations, demonstrating excellent agreement across a range of physical parameters. The resulting theory acts as a generalized ``equation-of-state" style approach for predicting variability and non-Gaussian statistical behavior directly from the macroscopic mean state, providing applicability across transport systems with a wide range of time and length scales, including geology, hydrology, and atmospheric sciences.