Pressure, density, temperature and entropy fluctuations in compressible turbulent plane channel flow

We investigate the fluctuations of thermodynamic state variables in compressible aerodynamic wall turbulence, using results of direct numerical simulation (DNS) of compressible turbulent plane channel flow. The basic transport equations governing the behaviour of thermodynamic variables (density, pressure, temperature and entropy) are reviewed and used to derive the exact transport equations for the variances and fluxes (transport by the fluctuating velocity field) of the thermodynamic fluctuations. The scaling with Reynolds and Mach number of compressible turbulent plane channel flow is discussed. Statistics and correlation coefficients of the thermodynamic fluctuations are examined. Finally, detailed budgets of the transport equations for the variances and fluxes of the thermodynamic variables are analysed. The implications of these results, leading both to the understanding of the thermodynamic interactions in compressible wall turbulence and to possible improvements in statistical modelling, are assessed. Finally, the required extension of existing DNS data to fully characterise this canonical flow is discussed.