Experimental Measurements of Energy Transfer in Rotating Turbulence
I will present work where we experimentally investigate energy currents in steady rotating turbulent flow by injecting a sudden burst of excess energy and monitoring its evolution. We are able to detect energy currents in three domains : In real space, the injected energy propagates within the turbulent field as a wave packet of inertial waves. In the frequency domain, we find a non-local current of energy to low, quasi-geostrophic modes, which has not been previously measured. In k-space, energy flows via an inverse cascade in the quasi-geostrophic part. Surprisingly, this inverse energy cascade is mediated by inertial waves, even in the proximity of the 2D manifold. These observations highlight the importance of inertial wave dynamics in steady rotating turbulence systems.
Contact Nicolas Mordant for more information or to schedule a discussion with the seminar speaker.