Turbulent Dissipation in Rotating Shear Flows: An Experimental Perspective

The dissipation of kinetic energy to heat in viscous flows has significant implications in nature and technology. Here we experimentally examine the scaling of dissipation in rotating turbulent shear flows as measured in laboratory experiments via torque measurements. The motivation is to better understand natural rotating turbulence in atmospheres, oceans and liquid planetary cores, as well as to also understand the approach to the asymptotic Kolmogorov–Constantin–Doering limit where the small, but non-zero, viscosity becomes irrelevant. In both cylindrical and spherical Couette flows, differential rotation can either enhance or reduce the observed dissipation. As well, we document new results in the increase in scaling exponents expected, and here observed, for rough spherical Couette flows.