Complex spectral properties of non-Hermitian operators: An application to open-flow mixing systems

M. Giona, S. Cerbelli, F. Garofalo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We study the spectral properties of the advection-diffusion operator associated with a non-chaotic 3d Stokes flow defined in the annular region between counter-rotating cylinders of finite length. The focus is on the dependence of the eigenvalue-eigenfunction spectrum on the Peclet number Pe. Several convection-enhanced mixing regimes are identified, each characterized by a power law scaling, -μd∼Pe (γd, vs.Pe. Among these regimes, a Pe-independent scaling -μd=const (i.e., γ=0), qualitatively similar to the asymptotic regime of globally chaotic flows, is observed. This regime arises as the consequence of different eigenvalues branches interchanging dominance at increasing Pe. A combination of perturbation analysis and functional-theoretical arguments is used to explain the occurrence and the range of existence of each regime.

Original languageEnglish
Article number34001
JournalEurophysics Letters
Volume83
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008 Aug 1
Externally publishedYes

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Physical Sciences

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