Preferential concentration of heavy particles in stably stratified turbulence.

The effect of preferential concentration of heavy particles in a homogeneous stably stratified turbulent flow is studied by means of direct numerical simulations. Particle distributions show different clustering patterns in horizontal and vertical directions, thereby representing the anisotropy of the flow. Preferential concentration in stably stratified turbulence can be quantified using 2D and 3D radial distribution functions and the correlation dimension D2. With increasing stratification strength, the effect of preferential concentration decreases. Furthermore, it is found that in stably stratified turbulence preferential accumulation is enhanced when gravitational forces act on heavy particles.