Estimation of the Kolmogorov constant (C0) for the Lagrangian structure function, using a second‐order Lagrangian model of grid turbulence

We review Sawford’s [Phys. Fluids A 3, 1577 (1991)] second‐order Lagrangian stochastic model for particle trajectories in low Reynolds number turbulence, showing that it satisfies a well‐mixed constraint for the (hypothetical) case of stationary, homogeneous, isotropic turbulence in which the joint probability density function for the fixed‐point velocity and acceleration is Gaussian. We then extend the model to decaying homogeneous turbulence and, by optimizing model agreement with the measured spread of tracers in grid turbulence, estimate that Kolmogorov’s universal constant (C0) for the Lagrangian velocity structure function has the value of 3.0±0.5.

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