Nonlinear behavior and turbulence spectra of drift waves and Rossby waves
Abstract
Spectrum cascade in drift wave turbulence in a magnetized plasma as well as Rossby wave turbulence in an atmospheric pressure system are studied based on a three-wave decay process derivable from the model equation applicable to both cases. The decay in the three-way interaction occurs to smaller and larger values of ‖k‖. In a region of large wavenumbers this leads to the dual cascade; the energy spectrum cascades to smaller ‖k‖ and the enstrophy spectrum to larger ‖k‖, similar to the case of two-dimensional Navier-Stokes turbulence. In a small wavenumber region a resonant three-wave decay process dominates the cascade process, and an anisotropic spectrum develops. As a consequence of the cascade, zonal flows in the direction perpendicular to the direction of inhomogeneity appear which presents a potential implication for the particle confinement in a turbulent plasma.
- Publication:
-
Physics of Fluids
- Pub Date:
- November 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.862504
- Bibcode:
- 1979PhFl...22.2122H
- Keywords:
-
- Atmospheric Turbulence;
- Electrostatic Waves;
- Fluid Dynamics;
- Plasma Turbulence;
- Rossby Regimes;
- Turbulent Flow;
- Atmospheric Pressure;
- Conservation Laws;
- Coriolis Effect;
- Energy Spectra;
- Geostrophic Wind;
- Nonlinearity;
- Nonuniform Plasmas;
- Vortices;
- Wave Interaction;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer