Bifurcation of an elliptic vortex ring

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Abstract
Time-dependent vorticity fields of elliptic vortex rings of aspect ratios 2, 3 and 4 were measured by means of hot-wire anemometry. The time evolution of their vorticity fields was analyzed and the processes of vortex ring formation, advection, interaction and decay, and the mechanism of vortex bifurcation are studied. The following crosslinking model is proposed: A thick vortical region composed of many equivalent vortex filaments with distributed cores is initially formed at the orifice and they behave as inviscid filaments. The elliptic ring deforms and the end parts of its major axis get closer. Then, the vortex filaments interact at the touching point and the ring partially bifurcates. Almost simultaneously, turbulent spot appears at this point, and propagates around the ring cross section, thus preventing further bifurcation. And it becomes a turbulent blob. This model is also supported by numerical simulation by a high-order vortex method and the Navier-Stokes solution.

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