Scale-similar clustering of heavy particles in the inertial range of turbulence

Phys Rev E. 2018 Mar;97(3-1):033109. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.97.033109.

Abstract

Heavy particle clustering in turbulence is discussed from both phenomenological and analytical points of view, where the -4/3 power law of the pair-correlation function is obtained in the inertial range. A closure theory explains the power law in terms of the balance between turbulence mixing and preferential-concentration mechanism. The obtained -4/3 power law is supported by a direct numerical simulation of particle-laden turbulence.