Verification of Reynolds stress parameterizations from simulations

Key words hydrodynamics – methods: numerical – turbulence We determine the timescales associated with turbulent decay and isotropization in closure models using anisotropically forced and freely decaying turbulence simulations and study the applicability of these models. We compare the results from anisotropically forced three-dimensional numerical simulations with the predictions of the closure models and obtain the turbulent timescales mentioned above as functions of the Reynolds number. In a second set of simulations, turning the forcing off enables us to study the validity of the closures in freely decaying turbulence. Both types of experiments suggest that the timescale of turbulent decay converges to a constant value at higher Reynolds numbers. Furthermore, the relative importance of isotropization is found to be about 2.5 times larger at higher Reynolds numbers than in the more viscous regime.