Contribution of Fluctuating Large-Scale Motions in Turbulent Fluid Flow Through a Channel

The key mechanism that sustains fluid turbulence flowing through a channel is examined using the Lagrangian experiment, done in a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the turbulent fluid flow and that being damped by addition of a small amount of small particles. The results indicate large contribution of the fluctuations of large-scale fluid motions, which are seen as their multi-directionality and multi-dimensionality, to sustenance of wall turbulence. Small-scale fluid turbulence structures, such as vortices and packets of them, are seen to induce the fluctuations of large-scale fluid motions.