A brief introduction to turbulence in rotating and stratified fluids

Abstract

This chapter discusses basic aspects of turbulent flows relevant for the small-scale fluid dynamics of planets and stars. We particularly focus on how geometrical confinement, rotation, and stratification affect the nature of turbulent motions at different spatial scales. We introduce a hierarchy of models from the celebrated theory of Kolmogorov valid for homogeneous and isotropic turbulence to gradually more realistic models including rotation and stratification effects. Emphasis is put on simple physical processes and qualitative observations and not on rigorous mathematical derivations.