title: Turbulence driven by singularities in vortex sheet dynamics.
abstract: High-precision numerical simulations of vortex sheets in two-dimensional flows show a cascade of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and the appearance of a large spectrum of spatial scales. We found a physical mechanism, combining advection and self-interaction of the sheet vorticity, that leads to the formation of a flow singularity. An unexpected consequence of these singularities and of the complex vorticity distribution along the sheet is the emergence of an energy spectrum following a power law.
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille Université, Institut de Recherche sur les Phénomènes Hors Equilibre, Unité Mixte de Recherche No. 6594 associée au Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Boîte Postale 146, 13384 Marseille, France. abid@irphe.univ-mrs.fr
authors.forename: Malek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verga