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Transient growth underpins superstructures and near-wall scales in turbulent convection.

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Title: Transient growth underpins superstructures and near-wall scales in turbulent convection.
Authors: Zhou, Zisong1 (AUTHOR), Zhu, Xiaojue1 (AUTHOR) zhux@mps.mpg.de
Source: Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 6/25/2026, Vol. 1037, p1-18. 18p.
Subjects: Rayleigh-Bénard convection, Coherent structures, Thermal boundary layer, Heat convection, Turbulent boundary layer, Energy transfer
Abstract: Content of image described in text. Turbulent convection is a fundamental transport process that shapes weather and climate, powers flows in planetary interiors and stars, and limits the performance of energy and heat-transfer technologies. Yet how these flows organise simultaneously into large-scale 'superstructures' and small-scale near-wall patterns remains unclear. Here, using Rayleigh–Bénard convection with large domain size, we show that both structures are captured by optimal linear modes that maximise transient energy amplification, identified via linear analysis based on turbulent mean profiles. Two amplification regimes emerge with clear scale separation: large-scale modes spanning the full central domain with horizontal wavelengths tilde 6 ∼ 6 ${\sim} 6$ times the plate separation and small-scale modes confined near the walls at tilde 11 ∼ 11 ${\sim} 11$ times the thermal boundary layer thickness. These results indicate that linear energy amplification plays an important organising role in multiscale turbulent convection and establish a unifying link to analogous non-modal processes in wall-bounded shear turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Fluid Mechanics is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 194751973
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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  Data: Transient growth underpins superstructures and near-wall scales in turbulent convection.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhou%2C+Zisong%22">Zhou, Zisong</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhu%2C+Xiaojue%22">Zhu, Xiaojue</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> zhux@mps.mpg.de</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Fluid+Mechanics%22">Journal of Fluid Mechanics</searchLink>. 6/25/2026, Vol. 1037, p1-18. 18p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rayleigh-Bénard+convection%22">Rayleigh-Bénard convection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coherent+structures%22">Coherent structures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+boundary+layer%22">Thermal boundary layer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heat+convection%22">Heat convection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Turbulent+boundary+layer%22">Turbulent boundary layer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+transfer%22">Energy transfer</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Content of image described in text. Turbulent convection is a fundamental transport process that shapes weather and climate, powers flows in planetary interiors and stars, and limits the performance of energy and heat-transfer technologies. Yet how these flows organise simultaneously into large-scale 'superstructures' and small-scale near-wall patterns remains unclear. Here, using Rayleigh–Bénard convection with large domain size, we show that both structures are captured by optimal linear modes that maximise transient energy amplification, identified via linear analysis based on turbulent mean profiles. Two amplification regimes emerge with clear scale separation: large-scale modes spanning the full central domain with horizontal wavelengths tilde 6 ∼ 6 ${\sim} 6$ times the plate separation and small-scale modes confined near the walls at tilde 11 ∼ 11 ${\sim} 11$ times the thermal boundary layer thickness. These results indicate that linear energy amplification plays an important organising role in multiscale turbulent convection and establish a unifying link to analogous non-modal processes in wall-bounded shear turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Fluid Mechanics is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1017/jfm.2026.11669
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Rayleigh-Bénard convection
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Coherent structures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal boundary layer
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heat convection
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Turbulent boundary layer
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy transfer
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Transient growth underpins superstructures and near-wall scales in turbulent convection.
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            NameFull: Zhou, Zisong
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            NameFull: Zhu, Xiaojue
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            – D: 25
              M: 06
              Text: 6/25/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 1037
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Fluid Mechanics
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