A model for layer formation in stably stratified turbulence

Abstract

Stably stratified turbulent flows are common in geophysics and astrophysics, and frequently exhibit layered structures in which large regions of nearly constant fluid density are separated by sharp density gradients. Experiments have demonstrated that, under suitable conditions, the stirring of a stably stratified fluid generates these layer structures. In this paper, a stochastic one-dimensional model is used to study layer formation in stably stratified turbulence. The results support mixing length arguments previously proposed to describe layers in steady state.