Abstract Direct numerical simulations are performed to compare the evolution of turbulent stratified shear layers with different density gradient profiles at a high Reynolds number. The density profiles include uniform stratification, two-layer hyperbolic tangent profile and a composite of these two profiles. All profiles have the same initial bulk Richardson number ( $$Ri_{b,0}$$ R i b , 0 ); however, the minimum gradient Richardson number and the distribution of density gradient across the shear layer are varied among the cases. The objective of the study is to provide a comparative analysis of the evolution of the shear layers in term of shear layer growth, turbulent kinetic energy as well as the mixing efficiency and its parameterization. The evolution of the shear layers in all cases shows the development of Kelvin–Helmholtz billows, the transition to turbulence by secondary instabilities followed by the decay of turbulence. Comparison among the cases reveals that the amount of turbulent mixing varies with the density gradient distribution inside the shear layer. The minimum gradient Richardson number and the initial bulk Richardson number do not correlate well with the integrated TKE production, dissipation and buoyancy flux. The bulk mixing efficiency for fixed $$Ri_{b,0}$$ R i b , 0 is found to be highest in the case with two-layer density profile and lowest in the case with uniform stratification. However, the parameterizations of the flux coefficient based on buoyancy Reynolds number and the ratio of Ozmidov and Ellison scales show similar scaling in all cases.
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Impact of Stratification Mechanisms on Turbulent Characteristics of Stable Open-Channel Flows
Flow over a surface can be stratified by imposing a fixed mean vertical temperature (density) gradient profile throughout or via cooling at the surface. These distinct mechanisms can act simultaneously to establish a stable stratification in a flow. Here, we perform a series of direct numerical simulations of open-channel flows to study adaptation of a neutrally stratified turbulent flow under the combined or independent action of the aforementioned mechanisms. We force the fully developed flow with a constant mass flow rate. This flow forcing technique enables us to keep the bulk Reynolds number constant throughout our investigation and avoid complications arising from the acceleration of the bulk flow if a constant pressure gradient approach were to be adopted to force the flow instead. When both stratification mechanisms are active, the dimensionless stratification perturbation number emerges as an external flow control parameter, in addition to the Reynolds, Froude, and Prandtl numbers. We demonstrate that significant deviations from the Monin–Obukhov similarity formulation are possible when both types of stratification mechanisms are active within an otherwise weakly stable flow, even when the flux Richardson number is well below 0.2. An extended version of the similarity theory due to Zilitinkevich and Calanca shows promise in predicting the dimensionless shear for cases where both types of stratification mechanisms are active, but the extended theory is less accurate for gradients of scalar. The degree of deviation from neutral dimensionless shear as a function of the vertical coordinate emerges as a qualitative measure of the strength of stable stratification for all the cases investigated in this study.
more » « less- Award ID(s):
- 1936445
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10362370
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Meteorological Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
- Volume:
- 79
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0022-4928
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 205-225
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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