Energy spectra of a strongly supercritical quasi-two-dimensional flow

Experimental results obtained for the spectral density of energy in a stron gly supercritical quasi-two-dimensional multivortex flow are presented. The Flow is generated magnetohydrodynamically in a rectangular tank filled wit h a thin layer of weak electrolyte and placed in a magnetic field. It is sh own that the inverse energy cascade is limited because of the effect of bot tom friction. The rates of energy and enstrophy transfer over the spectrum are calculated. The experimental spectra are compared to those obtained fro m numerical integration of the equations of two-dimensional motion in the p resence of bottom friction for conditions similar to the experimental ones. In the laboratory experiment, the energy concentrated in large-scale motio ns increases with supercriticality more slowly than is predicted by numeric al calculations.