Intermittency-Driven Turbulence Cascade Memory Extends the Markov-Einstein Coherence Length Beyond the Canonical Estimate
Abstract
Using direct numerical simulation of forced isotropic turbulence at and , together with two independent Markov-by-construction null surrogates, we measure the Markov--Einstein coherence length of the turbulent energy cascade to be - in log-scale cascade coordinates, approximately three times the canonical estimate . Stratifying the gap-scan test by local dissipation intensity and by increment amplitude reveals that intermittent events carry -, while at mid-inertial-range scales the quiescent cascade recovers -, consistent with the canonical value. Near the dissipation range this pattern reverses: bulk dynamics carry more memory than extreme events, consistent with the spectral bottleneck. The excess memory is internal to the inertial range and Reynolds-number-independent over -. These findings indicate that the Markov approximation underlying the cascade Fokker-Planck equation and fluctuation-theorem analyses is substantially more restrictive than previously assumed, and that a non-Markovian correction, informed by the amplitude-dependent memory structure identified here, is needed for the intermittent component of the cascade.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2604.23962,
title = {Intermittency-Driven Turbulence Cascade Memory Extends the Markov-Einstein Coherence Length Beyond the Canonical Estimate},
author = {Y. Sungtaek Ju},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2604.23962},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
12 pages, 3 figures