Nonuniversality of the scaling exponents of a passive scalar convected by a random flow

Amplification of the anomalous scaling in the Kazantsev-Kraichnan model with finite-time correlations and spatial parity violation

By using the field theoretic renormalization group technique together with the operator product expansion, simultaneous influence of the spatial parity violation and finite-time correlations of an electrically conductive turbulent environment on the inertial-range scaling behavior of correlation functions of a passively advected weak magnetic field is investigated within the corresponding generalized Kazantsev-Kraichnan model in the second order of the perturbation theory (in the two-loop approximation). The explicit dependence of the anomalous dimensions of the leading composite operators on the fixed point value of the parameter that controls the presence of finite-time correlations of the turbulent field as well as on the parameter that drives the amount of the spatial parity violation (helicity) in the system is found even in the case with the presence of the large-scale anisotropy. In accordance with the Kolmogorov's local isotropy restoration hypothesis, it is shown that, regardless of the amount of the spatial parity violation, the scaling properties of the model are always driven by the anomalous dimensions of the composite operators near the isotropic shell. The asymptotic (inertial-range) scaling form of all single-time two-point correlation functions of arbitrary order of the passively advected magnetic field is found. The explicit dependence of the corresponding scaling exponents on the helicity parameter as well as on the parameter that controls the finite-time velocity correlations is determined. It is shown that, regardless of the amount of the finite-time correlations of the given Gaussian turbulent environment, the presence of the spatial parity violation always leads to more negative values of the scaling exponents, i.e., to the more pronounced anomalous scaling of the magnetic correlation functions. At the same time, it is shown that the stronger the violation of spatial parity, the larger the anomalous behavior of magnetic correlations.

Evidence for enhancement of anisotropy persistence in kinematic magnetohydrodynamic turbulent systems with finite-time correlations

Using the field-theoretic renormalization group approach and the operator product expansion technique in the second order of the corresponding perturbative expansion, the influence of finite-time correlations of the turbulent velocity field on the scaling properties of the magnetic field correlation functions as well as on the anisotropy persistence deep inside the inertial range are investigated in the framework of the generalized Kazantsev-Kraichnan model of kinematic magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. Explicit two-loop expressions for the scaling exponents of the single-time two-point correlation functions of the magnetic field are derived and it is shown that the presence of the finite-time velocity correlations has a nontrivial impact on their inertial-range behavior and can lead, in general, to significantly more pronounced anomalous scaling of the magnetic field correlation functions in comparison to the rapid-change limit of the model, especially for the most interesting three-dimensional case. Moreover, by analyzing the asymptotic behavior of appropriate dimensionless ratios of the magnetic field correlation functions, it is also shown that the presence of finite-time correlations of the turbulent velocity field has a strong impact on the large-scale anisotropy persistence deep inside the inertial interval. Namely, it leads to a significant enhancement of the anisotropy persistence, again, especially in three spatial dimensions.

Renormalization group study of superfluid phase transition: Effect of compressibility

Dynamic critical behavior in superfluid systems is considered in the presence of external stirring and advecting processes. The latter are generated by means of the Gaussian random velocity ensemble with white-noise character in time variable and self-similar spatial dependence. The main focus of this work is to analyze an effect of compressible modes on the critical behavior. The model is formulated through stochastic Langevin equations, which are then recast into the Janssen-De Dominicis response formalism. Employing the field-theoretic perturbative renormalization group method we analyze large-scale properties of the model. Explicit calculations are performed to the leading one-loop approximation in the double (ɛ,y) expansion scheme, where ɛ is a deviation from the upper critical dimension d_{c}=4 and y describes a scaling property of the velocity ensemble. Altogether five distinct universality classes are expected to be macroscopically observable. In contrast to the incompressible case, we find that compressibility leads to an enhancement and stabilization of nontrivial asymptotic regimes.

Symmetry Breaking in Stochastic Dynamics and Turbulence

Symmetries play paramount roles in dynamics of physical systems. All theories of quantum physics and microworld including the fundamental Standard Model are constructed on the basis of symmetry principles. In classical physics, the importance and weight of these principles are the same as in quantum physics: dynamics of complex nonlinear statistical systems is straightforwardly dictated by their symmetry or its breaking, as we demonstrate on the example of developed (magneto)hydrodynamic turbulence and the related theoretical models. To simplify the problem, unbounded models are commonly used. However, turbulence is a mesoscopic phenomenon and the size of the system must be taken into account. It turns out that influence of outer length of turbulence is significant and can lead to intermittency. More precisely, we analyze the connection of phenomena such as behavior of statistical correlations of observable quantities, anomalous scaling, and generation of magnetic field by hydrodynamic fluctuations with symmetries such as Galilean symmetry, isotropy, spatial parity and their violation and finite size of the system.

Steep Cliffs and Saturated Exponents in Three-Dimensional Scalar Turbulence

The intermittency of a passive scalar advected by three-dimensional Navier-Stokes turbulence at a Taylor-scale Reynolds number of 650 is studied using direct numerical simulations on a 4096^{3} grid; the Schmidt number is unity. By measuring scalar increment moments of high orders, while ensuring statistical convergence, we provide unambiguous evidence that the scaling exponents saturate to 1.2 for moment orders beyond about 12, indicating that scalar intermittency is dominated by the most singular shocklike cliffs in the scalar field. We show that the fractal dimension of the spatial support of steep cliffs is about 1.8, whose sum with the saturation exponent value of 1.2 adds up to the space dimension of 3, thus demonstrating a deep connection between the geometry and statistics in turbulent scalar mixing. The anomaly for the fourth and sixth order moments is comparable to that in the Kraichnan model for the roughness exponent of 4/3.

Power and nonpower laws of passive scalar moments convected by isotropic turbulence

The scaling behavior of the moments of two passive scalars that are excited by two different methods and simultaneously convected by the same isotropic steady turbulence at R_{λ}=805 and Sc=0.72 is studied by using direct numerical simulation with N=4096^{3} grid points. The passive scalar θ is excited by a random source that is Gaussian and white in time, and the passive scalar q is excited by the mean uniform scalar gradient. In the inertial convective range, the nth-order moments of the scalar increment δθ(r) do not obey a simple power law, but have the local scaling exponents ξ_{n}^{θ}+β_{n}log(r/r_{*}) with β_{n}>0. In contrast, the local scaling exponents of q have well-developed plateaus and saturate with increasing order. The power law of passive scalar moments is not trivial. The universality of passive scalars is found not in the moments, but in the normalized moments.

Anomalous scaling of passive scalar fields advected by the Navier-Stokes velocity ensemble: effects of strong compressibility and large-scale anisotropy

The field theoretic renormalization group and the operator product expansion are applied to two models of passive scalar quantities (the density and the tracer fields) advected by a random turbulent velocity field. The latter is governed by the Navier-Stokes equation for compressible fluid, subject to external random force with the covariance ∝δ(t-t')k(4-d-y), where d is the dimension of space and y is an arbitrary exponent. The original stochastic problems are reformulated as multiplicatively renormalizable field theoretic models; the corresponding renormalization group equations possess infrared attractive fixed points. It is shown that various correlation functions of the scalar field, its powers and gradients, demonstrate anomalous scaling behavior in the inertial-convective range already for small values of y. The corresponding anomalous exponents, identified with scaling (critical) dimensions of certain composite fields ("operators" in the quantum-field terminology), can be systematically calculated as series in y. The practical calculation is performed in the leading one-loop approximation, including exponents in anisotropic contributions. It should be emphasized that, in contrast to Gaussian ensembles with finite correlation time, the model and the perturbation theory presented here are manifestly Galilean covariant. The validity of the one-loop approximation and comparison with Gaussian models are briefly discussed.

Anomalous scaling of passive scalars in rotating flows

We present results of direct numerical simulations of passive scalar advection and diffusion in turbulent rotating flows. Scaling laws and the development of anisotropy are studied in spectral space, and in real space using an axisymmetric decomposition of velocity and passive scalar structure functions. The passive scalar is more anisotropic than the velocity field, and its power spectrum follows a spectral law consistent with ~ k[Please see text](-3/2). This scaling is explained with phenomenological arguments that consider the effect of rotation. Intermittency is characterized using scaling exponents and probability density functions of velocity and passive scalar increments. In the presence of rotation, intermittency in the velocity field decreases more noticeably than in the passive scalar. The scaling exponents show good agreement with Kraichnan's prediction for passive scalar intermittency in two dimensions, after correcting for the observed scaling of the second-order exponent.

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by a turbulent velocity field with finite correlation time and uniaxial small-scale anisotropy

The influence of uniaxial small-scale anisotropy on the stability of the scaling regimes and on the anomalous scaling of the structure functions of a passive scalar advected by a Gaussian solenoidal velocity field with finite correlation time is investigated by the field theoretic renormalization group and operator product expansion within one-loop approximation. Possible scaling regimes are found and classified in the plane of exponents epsilon-eta , where epsilon characterizes the energy spectrum of the velocity field in the inertial range E proportional, variantk;{1-2epsilon} , and eta is related to the correlation time of the velocity field at the wave number k which is scaled as k;{-2+eta} . It is shown that the presence of anisotropy does not disturb the stability of the infrared fixed points of the renormalization group equations, which are directly related to the corresponding scaling regimes. The influence of anisotropy on the anomalous scaling of the structure functions of the passive scalar field is studied as a function of the fixed point value of the parameter u , which represents the ratio of turnover time of scalar field and velocity correlation time. It is shown that the corresponding one-loop anomalous dimensions, which are the same (universal) for all particular models with a concrete value of u in the isotropic case, are different (nonuniversal) in the case with the presence of small-scale anisotropy and they are continuous functions of the anisotropy parameters, as well as the parameter u . The dependence of the anomalous dimensions on the anisotropy parameters of two special limits of the general model, namely, the rapid-change model and the frozen velocity field model, are found when u-->infinity and u-->0 , respectively.

Influence of helicity on anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by the turbulent velocity field with finite correlation time: two-loop approximation

The influence of helicity on the stability of scaling regimes, on the effective diffusivity, and on the anomalous scaling of structure functions of a passive scalar advected by a Gaussian solenoidal velocity field with finite correlation time is investigated by the field theoretic renormalization group and operator-product expansion within the two-loop approximation. The influence of helicity on the scaling regimes is discussed and shown in the plane of exponents epsilon-eta, where epsilon characterizes the energy spectrum of the velocity field in the inertial range E proportional to k(1-2epsilon), and eta is related to the correlation time at the wave number k, which is scaled as k(-2+eta). The restrictions given by nonzero helicity on the regions with stable fixed points that correspond to the scaling regimes are analyzed in detail. The dependence of the effective diffusivity on the helicity parameter is discussed. The anomalous exponents of the structure functions of the passive scalar field which define their anomalous scaling are calculated and it is shown that, although the separate composite operators which define them strongly depend on the helicity parameter, the resulting two-loop contributions to the critical dimensions of the structure functions are independent of helicity. Details of calculations are shown.

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by the Navier-Stokes velocity field: two-loop approximation

The field theoretic renormalization group and operator-product expansion are applied to the model of a passive scalar quantity advected by a non-Gaussian velocity field with finite correlation time. The velocity is governed by the Navier-Stokes equation, subject to an external random stirring force with the correlation function proportional to delta(t- t')k(4-d-2epsilon). It is shown that the scalar field is intermittent already for small epsilon, its structure functions display anomalous scaling behavior, and the corresponding exponents can be systematically calculated as series in epsilon. The practical calculation is accomplished to order epsilon2 (two-loop approximation), including anisotropic sectors. As for the well-known Kraichnan rapid-change model, the anomalous scaling results from the existence in the model of composite fields (operators) with negative scaling dimensions, identified with the anomalous exponents. Thus the mechanism of the origin of anomalous scaling appears similar for the Gaussian model with zero correlation time and the non-Gaussian model with finite correlation time. It should be emphasized that, in contrast to Gaussian velocity ensembles with finite correlation time, the model and the perturbation theory discussed here are manifestly Galilean covariant. The relevance of these results for real passive advection and comparison with the Gaussian models and experiments are briefly discussed.

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by the turbulent velocity field with finite correlation time: two-loop approximation

The renormalization group and operator product expansion are applied to the model of a passive scalar quantity advected by the Gaussian self-similar velocity field with finite, and not small, correlation time. The inertial-range energy spectrum of the velocity is chosen in the form E(k) proportional, variant k(1-2 epsilon ), and the correlation time at the wave number k scales as k(-2+eta). Inertial-range anomalous scaling for the structure functions and other correlation functions emerges as a consequence of the existence in the model of composite operators with negative scaling dimensions, identified with anomalous exponents. For eta> epsilon, these exponents are the same as in the rapid-change limit of the model; for eta< epsilon, they are the same as in the limit of a time-independent (quenched) velocity field. For epsilon =eta (local turnover exponent), the anomalous exponents are nonuniversal through the dependence on a dimensionless parameter, the ratio of the velocity correlation time, and the scalar turnover time. The nonuniversality reveals itself, however, only in the second order of the epsilon expansion and the exponents are derived to order epsilon (2), including anisotropic contributions. It is shown that, for moderate order of the structure function n, and the space dimensionality d, finite correlation time enhances the intermittency in comparison with both the limits: the rapid-change and quenched ones. The situation changes when n and/or d become large enough: the correction to the rapid-change limit due to the finite correlation time is positive (that is, the anomalous scaling is suppressed), it is maximal for the quenched limit and monotonically decreases as the correlation time tends to zero.

Scaling laws in two-dimensional turbulent convection

Two-dimensional homogeneous turbulent convection is studied numerically. Though Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling is approximately valid, strong differences exist in the intermittency properties of velocity and temperature increments, where the latter are similar to those of a passive scalar. The main difference of the small-scale dynamics compared to a passive scalar arises from the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, but this process does not affect the scaling properties. A condition for a scalar field to show the ramp-and-cliff structures of a passive scalar is discussed.

Effect of particle inertia on the viscous-convective subrange

The spectral scaling of inertial particles in isotropic, homogeneous turbulence is investigated. The particle density spectrum of the Elperin-Kleeorin-Rogachevskii small-scale correlation function [Phys. Rev. E 58, 3113 (1998)] is derived and extended to larger scales. In the scale range (13-60)eta, a peak in the spectrum is observed when the ratio of the energies in the compressible and the incompressible components of the particle's velocity is greater than 0.007 (Stokes number >0.15). The peak is a manifestation of the accumulation of inertial particles in regions of high strain and low vorticity. The size and location of the peak are compared qualitatively with measurements of particle intermittency (preferential concentration) from direct numerical simulations.

Anomalous scaling regimes of a passive scalar advected by the synthetic velocity field

The field theoretic renormalization group (RG) is applied to the problem of a passive scalar advected by the Gaussian self-similar velocity field with finite correlation time and in the presence of an imposed linear mean gradient. The energy spectrum in the inertial range has the form E(k) proportional to (1-epsilon), and the correlation time at the wave number k scales as k(-2+eta). It is shown that, depending on the values of the exponents epsilon and eta, the model in the inertial-convective range exhibits various types of scaling regimes associated with the infrared stable fixed points of the RG equations: diffusive-type regimes for which the advection can be treated within ordinary perturbation theory, and three nontrivial convection-type regimes for which the correlation functions exhibit anomalous scaling behavior. The explicit asymptotic expressions for the structure functions and other correlation functions are obtained; the anomalous exponents, determined by the scaling dimensions of the scalar gradients, are calculated to the first order in epsilon and eta in any space dimension. For the first nontrivial regime the anomalous exponents are the same as in the rapid-change version of the model; for the second they are the same as in the model with time-independent (frozen) velocity field. In these regimes, the anomalous exponents are universal in the sense that they depend only on the exponents entering into the velocity correlator. For the last regime the exponents are nonuniversal (they can depend also on the amplitudes); however, the nonuniversality can reveal itself only in the second order of the RG expansion. A brief discussion of the passive advection in the non-Gaussian velocity field governed by the nonlinear stochastic Navier-Stokes equation is also given.

Shell model for time-correlated random advection of passive scalars

We study a minimal shell model for the advection of a passive scalar by a Gaussian time-correlated velocity field. The anomalous scaling properties of the white noise limit are studied analytically. The effect of the time correlations are investigated using perturbation theory around the white noise limit and nonperturbatively by numerical integration. The time correlation of the velocity field is seen to enhance the intermittency of the passive scalar.