A note on Kolmogorov's third-order structure-function law, the local isotropy hypothesis and the pressure–velocity correlation

Abstract

We show that Kolmogorov's (1941b) inertial-range law for the third-order structure function can be derived from a dynamical equation including pressure terms and mean flow gradient terms. A new inertial-range law, relating the two-point pressure–velocity correlation to the single-point pressure–strain tensor, is also derived. This law shows that the two-point pressure–velocity correlation, just like the third-order structure function, grows linearly with the separation distance in the inertial range. The physical meaning of both this law and Kolmogorov's law is illustrated by a Fourier analysis. An inertial-range law is also derived for the third-order velocity–enstrophy structure function of two-dimensional turbulence. It is suggested that the second-order vorticity structure function of two-dimensional turbulence is constant and scales with$\epsilon ^{2/3}_\omega$in the enstrophy inertial range, εωbeing the enstrophy dissipation. Owing to the constancy of this law, it does not imply a Fourier-space inertial-range law, and therefore it is not equivalent to thek−1law for the enstrophy spectrum, suggested by Kraichnan (1967) and Batchelor (1969).