Eur. Phys. J. B 49, 483-490 (2006)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2006-00086-0

Vortex stretching and reconnection in a compressible fluid

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA

Corresponding author: ^a bhimsens@mail.ucf.edu

Received: 21 October 2005
Published online: 31 March 2006

Abstract

Vortex stretching in a compressible fluid is considered. Two-dimensional (2D) and axisymmetric cases are considered separately. The flows associated with the vortices are perpendicular to the plane of the uniform straining flows. Externally-imposed density build-up near the axis leads to enhanced compactness of the vortices — “dressed" vortices (in analogy to “dressed" charged particles in a dielectric system). The compressible vortex flow solutions in the 2D as well as axisymmetric cases identify a length scale relevant for the compressible case which leads to the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili spectrum for compressible turbulence. Vortex reconnection process in a compressible fluid is shown to be possible even in the inviscid case — compressibility leads to defreezing of vortex lines in the fluid.