Turbulent production and subgrid dynamics in wall flows

Abstract

The Kolmogorov equation generalized to wall-turbulence has been recently proven to give a detailed description of the multi-dimensional features of such flows[1]. As emerging from this approach, the small scales of wall turbulence are found to drive the quasi-coherent motion at large scales through a reverse energy transfer. At the base of this phenomenology is the focusing of production of turbulent fluctuations at small scales. These observations may have strong repercussion on both theoretical and modeling approaches to wall-turbulence. Here, we aim at using the Kolmogorov equation not only for the study of the mechanisms altering the energy transfer but also for modeling purpose.