A New Theory of Turbulence Causes a Stir Among Experts

Abstract

Two mathematicians are claiming that a basic formula of turbulence is flawed. The formula, known as the logarithmic law of the wall, describes how the velocity of a turbulent fluid slows in a thin layer near a surface, and it provides a convenient rule of thumb for the design of aircraft, pipelines, and other structures that operate in a fluid environment. The new analysis finds that the assumptions underlying the law of the wall are flawed, and it is off by as much as 65%. While the effect is too small to be a safety concern, the claim is roiling the field of turbulence. Computers/Math