Compressible Turbulence: The Cascade and its Locality

Abstract

We prove that interscale transfer of kinetic energy in compressible turbulence is dominated by local interactions. In particular, our results preclude direct transfer of kinetic energy from large-scales to dissipation scales, such as into shocks, in high Reynolds number turbulence as is commonly believed. Our assumptions on the scaling of structure functions are weak and enjoy compelling empirical support. Under a stronger assumption on pressure dilatation cospectrum, we show that mean kinetic and internal energy budgets statistically decouple beyond a transitional conversion range. Our analysis establishes the existence of an ensuing inertial range over which mean subgrid scale kinetic energy flux becomes constant, independent of scale. Over this inertial range, mean kinetic energy cascades locally and in a conservative fashion despite not being an invariant.