Formation of an energy cascade in a system of vortices on the surface of water

Abstract

The formation of an energy cascade in a system of vortices generated by perpendicular standing waves with a frequency of 6 Hz on the water surface has been experimentally studied. It has been found that peaks appear on the energy distribution over wave vectors E(k) after switching on pumping. These peaks are transformed with time because of the energy redistribution over scales. The stationary distribution E(k) established 300 s after switching on pumping can be described by a power-law function of the wave vector E(k) ∼ k1.75. It has been shown that waves with frequencies of about 18, 15, 12, 9, and 3 Hz appear on the surface of water owing to the nonlinear interaction at the excitation of a 6-Hz wave. It is assumed that the energy cascade of the turbulent motion in the wave vector range of 0.3–5 cm−1 is formed by the nonlinear interaction between vortices generated by all waves propagating on the surface and direct energy fluxes toward high wave vectors dominate.