Analysis of Reynolds number scaling for viscous vortex reconnection

Qionglin Ni, Fazle Hussain, Jianchun Wang, Shiyi Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

A theoretical analysis of viscous vortex reconnection is developed based on scale separation, and the Reynolds number, Re (= circulation/viscosity), scaling for the reconnection time Trec is derived. The scaling varies continuously as Re increases from T rec ~Re -T rec ~Re. This theoretical prediction agrees well with direct numerical simulations by Garten et al. [J. Fluid Mech.426, 1 (2001)]10.1017/S0022112000002251 and Hussain and Duraisamy [Phys. Fluids23, 021701 (2011)]10.1063/1.3532039. Moreover, our analysis yields two Re's, namely, a characteristic Re Re0.75 ε[o(10 3O(10 3)for the T rec Re 0.75scaling given by Hussain and Duraisamy and the critical Re Re cO(10 4) for the transition after which the first reconnection is completed. For >, a quiescent state follows, and then, a second reconnection may occur.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number105102
JournalPhysics of Fluids
Volume24
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 3 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computational Mechanics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

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