On the critical Richardson number in stably stratified turbulence

Boris Galperin; Semion Sukoriansky; Philip S. Anderson

doi:10.1002/asl.153

On the critical Richardson number in stably stratified turbulence

Boris Galperin, Semion Sukoriansky, Philip S. Anderson

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

206 Scopus citations

Abstract

The critical Richardson number, Ri_c, is used in studies of stably stratified turbulence as a measure of flow laminarization. The accepted range of Ri_c is between 0.2 and 1. A growing body of experimental and observational data indicates, however, that turbulence survives for Ri ≫ 1. This result is supported by a new spectral theory of turbulence that accounts for strong anisotropy and waves. The anisotropization results in the enhanced horizontal mixing of both momentum and scalar. Internal wave contribution preserves vertical momentum mixing above its molecular level. In the absence of laminarization, Ri_c becomes devoid of its conventional meaning.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	65-69
Number of pages	5
Journal	Atmospheric Science Letters
Volume	8
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/asl.153
State	Published - 1 Jul 2007

Keywords

Critical Richardson number
Stable stratification
Turbulence

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atmospheric Science

Access to Document

10.1002/asl.153

Cite this

@article{ba131e14acb64909b3f3e1476e584c3b,

title = "On the critical Richardson number in stably stratified turbulence",

abstract = "The critical Richardson number, Ric, is used in studies of stably stratified turbulence as a measure of flow laminarization. The accepted range of Ric is between 0.2 and 1. A growing body of experimental and observational data indicates, however, that turbulence survives for Ri ≫ 1. This result is supported by a new spectral theory of turbulence that accounts for strong anisotropy and waves. The anisotropization results in the enhanced horizontal mixing of both momentum and scalar. Internal wave contribution preserves vertical momentum mixing above its molecular level. In the absence of laminarization, Ric becomes devoid of its conventional meaning.",

keywords = "Critical Richardson number, Stable stratification, Turbulence",

author = "Boris Galperin and Semion Sukoriansky and Anderson, {Philip S.}",

year = "2007",

month = jul,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1002/asl.153",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "65--69",

journal = "Atmospheric Science Letters",

issn = "1530-261X",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc.",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - On the critical Richardson number in stably stratified turbulence

AU - Galperin, Boris

AU - Sukoriansky, Semion

AU - Anderson, Philip S.

PY - 2007/7/1

Y1 - 2007/7/1

N2 - The critical Richardson number, Ric, is used in studies of stably stratified turbulence as a measure of flow laminarization. The accepted range of Ric is between 0.2 and 1. A growing body of experimental and observational data indicates, however, that turbulence survives for Ri ≫ 1. This result is supported by a new spectral theory of turbulence that accounts for strong anisotropy and waves. The anisotropization results in the enhanced horizontal mixing of both momentum and scalar. Internal wave contribution preserves vertical momentum mixing above its molecular level. In the absence of laminarization, Ric becomes devoid of its conventional meaning.

AB - The critical Richardson number, Ric, is used in studies of stably stratified turbulence as a measure of flow laminarization. The accepted range of Ric is between 0.2 and 1. A growing body of experimental and observational data indicates, however, that turbulence survives for Ri ≫ 1. This result is supported by a new spectral theory of turbulence that accounts for strong anisotropy and waves. The anisotropization results in the enhanced horizontal mixing of both momentum and scalar. Internal wave contribution preserves vertical momentum mixing above its molecular level. In the absence of laminarization, Ric becomes devoid of its conventional meaning.

KW - Critical Richardson number

KW - Stable stratification

KW - Turbulence

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=38749139908&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/asl.153

DO - 10.1002/asl.153

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:38749139908

SN - 1530-261X

VL - 8

SP - 65

EP - 69

JO - Atmospheric Science Letters

JF - Atmospheric Science Letters

IS - 3

ER -

On the critical Richardson number in stably stratified turbulence

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this