Reply by Authors to A. Goldburg

Abstract

Goldburg has apparently misunderstood the significance of the local minimum critical Reynolds number (Re_f, d)min, er. When the effective turbulent diffusivity ε_T is smaller than the kinematic viscosity, v_i, the work done by the Reynolds stresses is more than counterbalanced by the rate of viscous dissipation. Thus, turbulence in the wake cannot exist when (ε_T/u_fd) < (v_f/u_jd), or when Re_f, d < (Re_f, d)min, er, any more than turbulent flow in a pipe can exist below a critical Reynolds number of 2000. If one chooses to call this "quenching," that is a problem in semantics and not in fluid mechanics.

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