"Barber pole turbulence" in large aspect ratio Taylor-Couette flow

Abstract

Investigations of counter-rotating Taylor-Couette flow (TCF) in the narrow gap limit are conducted in a very large aspect ratio apparatus. The phase diagram is presented and compared to that obtained by Andereck et al. The spiral turbulence regime is studied by varying both internal and external Reynolds numbers. Spiral turbulence is shown to emerge from the fully turbulent regime via a continuous transition appearing first as a modulated turbulent state, which eventually relaxes locally to the laminar flow. The connection with the intermittent regimes of the plane Couette flow (pCf) is discussed.