Relaxation of 2D Turbulence to Vortex Crystals
Abstract
Two-dimensional turbulence normally relaxes through vortex merger and filamentation, with energy flowing to large scales and enstrophy dissipated on fine scales. Experiments on magnetized electron columns show that this relaxation can be arrested by spontaneous ``cooling'' of the chaotic vortex motions, leading to regular lattices of vortices within a uniform background of weaker vorticity.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- October 1995
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.75.3277
- Bibcode:
- 1995PhRvL..75.3277F