Estimation of the Kolmogorov constant C-0 by direct numerical simulation of a continuous scalar

The coefficient C-0, which determines the effective turbulent diffusion in velocity space, is fundamental in Lagrangian modeling. Others, for example, Yeung and Pope [J. Fluid Mech. 207, 531 (1989)] have investigated this coe fficient numerically with direct numerical simulation (DNS) by analyzing th e dispersion of discrete particles. In our paper we estimate the coefficien t C-0 by using DNS to study the initial evolution of continuous passive sca lar fields. Using an equivalent probability density function (pdf) and cond itional moment analyses we examine the initial transient behavior for passi ve scalar mixing, with both linear and Gaussian-type initial distributions in the velocity space. Our estimates of C-0 are found to be consistent with the data found in the literature. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-6631(00)50012-9].