Nonlinear amplification of vorticity in inviscid interaction of orthogonal Lamb dipoles

Abstract

Dynamical arguments based on the structure of the Euler equations suggest the possibility of rapid amplification of vorticity in which the vorticity and the rate of strain grow proportionately. During such growth, the vorticity is expected to amplify as a (ts−t)−1 power-law in time. This behavior is difficult to demonstrate numerically, in part, because initial transients tend to obscure it. Lamb dipoles are used here to construct the initial vorticity. This helps to avoid these transients and results in a flow exhibiting the expected power-law vorticity amplification for a period of time. The spatial region where the vorticity growth rate is maximal is investigated in detail using a decomposition of the vorticity along the principal axes of the rate-of-strain tensor. It is demonstrated that the vorticity and strain rate in one direction in this decomposition are proportional during the period of rapid vorticity growth. These findings suggest that, during this period, the Euler equations can be reduced to a one-dimensional model equation for vorticity in the rate-of-strain coordinate system.