Spectral analysis of the spatial evolution of energy-containing eddies
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The elementary structures of wall turbulence that carry most of the kinetic energy and momentum are typically referred to as energy-containing eddies (energy-eddies). Despite the general agreement that energy-eddies can sustain themselves at all relevant length scales, their exact genesis and spatial evolution are still not well-understood. In this study, energy-eddies at the inflow of a turbulent channel flow direct numerical simulation (DNS) are quenched and the spatial development of these eddies is studied at a friction Reynolds number of Re_tau = 550. The results in the present study demonstrates that in a spatially evolving flow, the formation of near-wall streaks is the primary process necessary in the recovery of energy-eddies in a turbulent channel flow and energy-eddies are essential to maintain the eddies involved in the energy cascade.