Inequalities and variational principles in double-diffusive turbulence
Melvin E. Stern · Journal of Fluid Mechanics · 1982
An inequality pertaining to the energetics of the boundary layer in turbulent pipe flow and turbulent thermal convection is generalized for the double-diffusive convection problem, where a semi-infinite layer of cold, fresh and light water overlies another hot, salty and dense layer. The smallest possible salt/heat-flux ratio equals the ratio of the square roots of the respective diffusivities. The bound is asymptotically realizable according to a variational principle. A bound on the relative fluxes is predicted when another solute is added (‘multiple diffusion’).