Universal Multifractal Properties of the Small Scale Intermittency in Anisotropic and Inhomogeneous Turbulence

Abstract

The notion of self-similar energy cascades and multifractality has long since been connected with fully developed, homogeneous and isotropic turbulence. We introduce a number of amendments to the standard methods for analysing the multifractal properties of the energy dissipation field of a turbulent flow. We conjecture that the scaling assumption for the moments of the energy dissipation rate is valid within the transition range to dissipation introduced by Castaing et al.(Physica D (46), 177 (1990)). The multifractal spectral functions appear to be universal well within the error margins and exhibit some as yet undiscussed features. Furthermore, this universality is also present in the neither homogeneous nor isotropic flows in the wake very close to a cylinder or the off-centre region of a free jet.