Pressure spectra for vortex models of fine-scale homogeneous turbulence

Abstract

Pressure spectra at large wave numbers are calculated for Lundgren–Townsend vortex models of the fine scales of homogeneous turbulence. Specific results are given for the Burgers vortex and also for the Lundgren-strained spiral vortex. For the latter case, it is found that the contribution to the shell-summed spectrum produced by the interaction between the axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric components of the velocity field is proportional to k^–7/3 (k=||k|| is the modulus of the wave number) in agreement with Kolmogorov-type dimensional arguments. Numerical estimates of the dimensionless prefactors for this component are obtained in Kolmogorov scaling variables and comparisons are made with results from the Batchelor–Kolmogorov theory, and with experimental measurement.