Circulation Statistics in Three-Dimensional Turbulent Flows

Abstract

We study the large $\lambda$ limit of the loop-dependent characteristic functional $Z(\lambda)=<\exp(i\lambda \oint_c \vec v \cdot d \vec x)>$, related to the probability density function (PDF) of the circulation around a closed contour $c$. The analysis is carried out in the framework of the Martin-Siggia-Rose field theory formulation of the turbulence problem, by means of the saddle-point technique. Axisymmetric instantons, labelled by the component $\sigma_{zz}$ of the strain field -- a partially annealed variable in our formalism -- are obtained for a circular loop in the $xy$ plane, with radius defined in the inertial range. Fluctuations of the velocity field around the saddle-point solutions are relevant, leading to the lorentzian asymptotic behavior $Z(\lambda) \sim 1/{\lambda^2}$. The ${\cal O}(1 / {\lambda^4})$ subleading correction and the asymmetry between right and left PDF tails due to parity breaking mechanisms are also investigated.