Turbulent intermittency and Euler similarity solutions

Abstract

Self-similar Euler singularities may be useful for understanding some aspects of Navier-Stokes turbulence. Here, a causal explanation for intermittency is given, based on the control of the sudden growth of the gradients by the Euler equations. This explanation uses certain Euler solutions as intermediate asymptotics in Navier-Stokes turbulence \cite{barenblatt} -- controlling the dynamics over a limited spatial and temporal domain. These arise from an analysis of similarity equations, previously discussed by Pelz and Green \cite{pelz}, which yield experimentally testable predictions. Three main points are presented here: scalings of suitable characteristic lengths with time from a critical time $l \sim (t_\circ -t)^α$, $α>1$, a discussion of invariant sets of the similarity equations that result, and a discussion of cutoff mechanisms. The value $α= 3/2$ appears to correspond to Kolmogorov scaling for turbulence. Some limited experimental evidence is presented from Eulerian gradient measurements at the Kolmogorov scale showing $1<α<3$ values. Much testing is necessary to ascertain the final usefulness and validity of these ideas, as several conceptual obstacles remain.