Cascades and statistical equilibrium in shell models of turbulence

Abstract

We study the GOY shell model simulating the cascade processes of turbulent flow. The model has two inviscid invariants governing the dynamical behavior. Depending on the choice of interaction coefficients, or coupling parameters, the two invariants are either both positive definite, analogous to energy and enstrophy of 2D flow, or only one is positive definite and the other not, analogous to energy and helicity of 3D flow. In the 2D like model the dynamics depend on the spectral ratio of enstrophy to energy. That ratio depends on wave-number as $k^α$. The enstrophy transfer through the inertial sub-range can be described as a forward cascade for $α< 2$ and a diffusion in a statistical equilibrium for $α> 2$. The $α=2$ case, corresponding to 2D turbulence, is a borderline between the two descriptions. The difference can be understood in terms of the ratio of typical timescales in the inertial sub-range and in the viscous sub-range. The multi fractality of the enstrophy dissipation also depends on the parameter $α$, and seems to be related to the ratio of typical timescales of the different shell velocities.