| As most of the fluids in nature are in turbulent motion, a considerable effort has been devoted to understanding turbulence using experimental, analytical, and numerical methods. With recent advances in computer technology, numerical simulations are currently on the leading edge of turbulence research. However, it will not be possible to resolve the entire spectrum of eddies in a high Reynolds number flow, even with the fastest foreseen computers. A more promising approach consists of explicitly simulating only the largest eddies of the flow, while employing an analytical subgrid model to simulate the effects of the smallest eddies. Previous subgrid models using an eddy viscosity have simulated the net subgrid scale energy transfer only as an energy transfer from the resolved scales to the unresolved subgrid scales. Two objections may be raised to the eddy viscosity model: first, physically, the energy transfer from the subgrid scales to the resolved scales is poorly represented, and; second, any physical effects which do not result in an energy transfer are omitted. A subgrid model that addresses these two objections is developed. First, only the energy transfer from the resolved to the subgrid scales is modeled as an eddy viscosity, whereas the energy transfer from the subgrid to the resolved scales is modeled as a stochastic force. Second, a new effect that does not result in an immediate energy transfer is modeled: the random sweeping of the smallest resolved eddies by the largest. Both the eddy viscosity and the stochastic force of the improved subgrid model are computed from an analytical model and from a direct numerical simulation. The simulation is found to validate the analytical model. The subgrid model is then applied to study: (1) the Kolmogorov inertial subrange; (2) the local and non-local energy fluxes across a given wavenumber, and; (3) the spectrum of a passive scalar field in the inertial-diffusive subrange. Future applications of the improved subgrid model to physically important problems in geophysical and astrophysical turbulence are proposed. |
