Pseudospectral simulation of compressible turbulence using logarithmic variables

Abstract

The direct numerical simulation of dissipative, highly compressible turbulent flow is performed using a pseudospectral Fourier technique. The governing equations are cast in a form where the important physical variables are the fluid velocity and the natural logarithms of the fluid density and temperature. Bulk viscosity is utilized to model polyatomic gases more accurately and to ensure numerical stability in the presence of strong shocks. Numerical examples include three-dimensional supersonic homogeneous turbulence and two-dimensional shock-turbulence interactions.