The Breakdown of Dynamic Scaling and Intermittency in a Cascade Model of Turbulence

Abstract

We present an analytic and numerical analysis of the Gledzer-Ohkitani-Yamada (GOY) cascade model for turbulence. We concentrate on the dynamic correlations, and demonstrate both numerically and analytically, using resummed perturbation theory, that the correlations do not follow a dynamic scaling ansatz. The basic reason for this is the existence of a second quadratic invariant, in addition to energy. This implies the breakdown of the Kolmogorov type scaling law, in a manner different from the conventional mechanisms proposed for Navier-Stokes intermittency. By modifying the model equation so as to eliminate the spurious invariant, we recover to good accuracy, both dynamic scaling and the Kolmogorov exponents. We conclude that intermittency in the GOY model may be attributed to the effects of the spurious invariant which does not exist in the 3-dimensional Navier-Stokes flow.