Coherent fine scale eddies in turbulence transition of spatially-developing mixing layer

To investigate the relationship between characteristics of the coherent fine scale eddy and a laminar–turbulent transition, a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a spatially-developing turbulent mixing layer with Reω,0 = 700 was conducted. On the onset of the transition, strong coherent fine scale eddies appears in the mixing layer. The most expected value of maximum azimuthal velocity of the eddy is 2.0 times Kolmogorov velocity (uk), and decreases to 1.2uk, which is an asymptotic value in the fully-developed state, through the transition. The energy dissipation rate around the eddy is twice as high compared with that in the fully-developed state. However, the most expected diameter and eigenvalues ratio of strain rate acting on the coherent fine scale eddy are maintained to be 8 times Kolmogorov length (η) and α:β:γ = −5:1:4 in the transition process. In addition to Kelvin–Helmholtz rollers, rib structures do not disappear in the transition process and are composed of lots of coherent fine scale eddies in the fully-developed state instead of a single eddy observed in early stage of the transition or in laminar flow.