Orthonormal wavelet analysis of turbulence

Abstract

The orthonormal wavelet expansion method is applied to data of atmospheric turbulence extending over more than two decades in Kolmogorov's inertial subrange. First, the orthonormal wavelet expansion is described and a numerical scheme for the expansion coefficients is proposed. Then, by the use of the orthonormal wavelets, several characteristics of turbulence are discussed in comparison with those of artificial, random noise. In particular, the local wavelet spectra of turbulence show a similarity structure, which is absent in the artificial random noise and is identified with the trace of the energy cascade process.