Exploratory measurements in spiral turbulence

Abstract

The present experiments lay a foundation for a detailed study of interface propagation in a mixed laminar–turbulent flow between counter-rotating concentric cylinders. Such mixed flows, including one particularly well-organized pattern called spiral turbulence, are found to be a dominant feature of transition in Couette flow. In spiral turbulence, the laminar and turbulent regions of the flow form an alternating pattern of helical stripes, rotating with approximately the mean angular velocity of the two cylinders. Stable right-handed or left-handed spirals occur with equal probability when the flow is established from rest. Hot-wire measurements have been made of the mean cross-sectional shape of the interfaces in the axial mid-plane for a spiral-turbulent flow having low dispersion in the interface position. A nose of turbulence associated with the leading interface projects into the laminar region near the outer cylinder, while a corresponding tail is associated with the trailing interface near the inner cylinder. Fluctuations in interface position and in apparent length of the turbulent region are closely Gaussian, and the fluctuations are rapid compared with the period of rotation of either cylinder.