Abstract
In this letter, we show via numerical simulations that the typical flow structures appearing in transitional channel flows at moderate Reynolds numbers are not spots but isolated turbulent bands, which have much longer lifetimes than the spots. Localized perturbations can evolve into isolated turbulent bands by continuously growing obliquely when the Reynolds number is larger than 660. However, interactions with other bands and local perturbations cause band breaking and decay. The competition between the band extension and breaking does not lead to a sustained turbulence until Re becomes larger than about 1000. Above this critical value, the bands split, providing an effective mechanism for turbulence spreading.
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