New Method Developed for Identifying Turbulent Vortices in Fluid Flows

Researchers have developed a new method to identify locally turbulent vortices within 2D turbulent flows, such as instabilities. The study, authored by Fabien Vivodtzev, Florent Nauleau, Jean-Philippe Braeunig, and Julien Tierny, leverages Topological Data Analysis (TDA) to extract the geometry of vortices by simplifying the enstrophy of the flow through topological persistence. The vortices are then identified by collecting the basins of the simplified enstrophy's Morse complex.

The local kinetic energy power spectrum for each vortex is computed, and a set of indicators based on this spectrum is introduced to estimate the correlation between the vortex's behavior and that of an idealized turbulent vortex. Preliminary experiments indicate that these indicators are effective in distinguishing between turbulent vortices and those that have not yet reached a turbulent state, known as laminar vortices.

This method provides a more automated and accurate way to detect and analyze turbulent vortices, which can have significant implications for understanding fluid dynamics in various scientific and engineering applications. The ability to distinguish between turbulent and laminar vortices can improve the modeling and prediction of fluid behavior in natural and industrial processes.

For more details, the full paper can be accessed at arXiv:2408.12662.