Course in Turbulence, autumns


Plan of the course including exercises will be updated during the course

Understanding the dynamics of turbulent flow is still one of the challenges in modern physics. The connection between the governing equation, the Navier-Stokes equation, of a turbulent flow and the only discription at hand, the phenomenological theory of Kolmogorov, is still not completely known. The course will give an up to date modern account of the subject.

The course is aimed at physics, astronomy and geophysics graduate students.

Subjects include:

- Symmetries and conservation laws of the Navier-Stokes equation.

- Probabilistic description of turbulence and the closure problem.

- The Kolmogorov 1941 theory (and the 1962 extension).

- Closures and field theoretical methods.

- Departure from the Kolmogorov theory, intermittency.

- Multiplicative models and shell models.

- Burgers equation.

- Lyapunov exponents and the connection with chaos.

- 2 dimensional turbulence.

- Examples from geophysical and astrophysical flows: Earths atmosphere, Jupiters great red spot, the large scale structure of the Universe.

See the movie poster (if you have a fast link).


Teacher: Peter Ditlevsen

Textbook: Uriel Frisch, Turbulence, Cambridge University Press, 1995. +  notes and Journal articles.

Time: Tuesdays 13-15.      Place: Rockefeller Complex, auditorium.

Credit: 4 points.            Exam: Oral.                   Contact: pditlev@gfy.ku.dk