Rayleigh-Taylor Turbulence is Nothing Like Kolmogorov Turbulence in the Self-Similar Regime

Abstract

An increasing number of numerical simulations and experiments describing the turbulent spectrum of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) mixing layers came to light over the past few years. Results reported in recent studies allow to rule out a Kolmogorov-like turbulence as a mechanism acting on a self-similar RT turbulent mixing layer. A different mechanism is presented, which complies with both numerical and experimental results and relates RT flow to other buoyant flows.