Abstract
Direct numerical simulation is a valuable tool for modeling turbulence, but like “wet lab” simulation, it does not solve the problem of how to interpret the data. Manual analysis, accompanied by visual aids, is a time consuming, error prone process due to the elaborate time-dependent structures appearing in simulations. We describe a technique based on volume tracking, that enables the worker to identify and observe evolving coherent flow structures, eliminating uninteresting background data. Using our techniques we were able to investigate 3-D density overturns in stably stratified homogeneous turbulence, understand entangled physical structures and their dynamical behavior. We describe our technique, which improves on past work by incorporating application-specific knowledge into the identification process. Such knowledge was vital in filtering out spurious information that would have interfered with the experimental method. Representative results are shown which summarize the physical insight gained by the application of the above identification/ tracking method.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
M. Beynon, R. Ferreira, T. Kurc, A. Sussman, and J. Saltz. Datacutter: Middleware for filtering very large scientific datasets on archival storage systems. In Proc. 8th Goddard Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies/17th IEEE Symposium on Mass Storage Systems, pages 119–133, College Park, MD, March 2000.
P. J. Diamessis. An investigation of vortical structures and density overturns in stably stratified homogeneous turbulence by means of direct numerical simulation. Ph.D Dissertation, University of California, San Diego, 2001.
P. J. Diamessis and K. K. Nomura. Interaction of vorticity, rate-of-strain and scalar gradient in stratified homogeneous sheared turbulence. Phys. Fluids, 12:1166–88, 2000.
S. J. Fink, S. B. Baden, and S. R. Kohn. Efficient run-time support for irregular block-structured applications. J. Parallel Distrib. Comput., 50(1-2):61–82, April-May 1998.
T. Gerz, U. Schumann, and S. Elghobashi. Direct simulation of stably stratified homogeneous turbulent shear flows. J. Fluid Mech., 200:563–594, 1989.
C. H. Gibson. Laboratory, numerical and oceanic fossil turbulence in rotating and stratified flows. J. Geophys. Res., 96 no. C5:12549–12566, 1991.
M. C. Gregg. Diapycnal mixing in the thermocline. J. Geophys. Res., 92, no. C5:5249–5286, 1987.
E. Horowitz and S. Sahni. Fundamentals of Computer Algorithms. Computer Science Press, 1978.
J. Howe, S. B. Baden, T. Grimmett, and K. K. Nomura. Modernization of legacy application software. In Applied parallel computing: large scale scientific and industrial problem: 4th International Workshop, PARA’ 98, Umeå, Sweden, Jun. 1998: proceedings, volume 1541 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 255–262. Springer-Verlag, New York Berlin Heidelberg, 1998.
E.C. Itsweire, J.R. Koseff, D.A. Briggs, and J. H. Ferziger. Turbulence in stratified shear flows: Implications for interpreting shear-induced mixing in the ocean. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 23:1508–1522, 1993.
G.N. Ivey and J. Imberger. On the nature of turbulence in a stratified fluid. part i: The energetics of mixing. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 21:650–658, 1991.
W. R. Kerney. Mold: A system for breaking down large visualization and postprocessing problems. Masters Thesis, University of California, San Diego, 2002.
D. Silver and X. Wang. Tracking and visualizing turbulent 3d features. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 3(2):129–141, April-June 1997.
W. D. Smyth, J. N. Moum, and D. R. Caldwell. The efficiency of mixing in turbulent patches: inferences from direct simulations and microstructure observations. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 31(8):1969–1992, 2001.
H. Tennekes and J. L. Lumley. A first course in turbulence. The MIT press, 1972.
J. S. Turner. Buoyancy Effects in Fluids. University Press, Cambridge, 1979.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Diamessis, P., Kerney, W., Baden, S.B., Nomura, K. (2002). Automated Tracking of 3-D Overturn Patches in Direct Numerical Simulation of Stratified Homogeneous Turbulence. In: Fagerholm, J., Haataja, J., Järvinen, J., Lyly, M., Råback, P., Savolainen, V. (eds) Applied Parallel Computing. PARA 2002. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2367. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48051-X_55
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48051-X_55
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-43786-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48051-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive