Kinetic theory of turbulence modeling: smallness parameter, scaling and microscopic derivation of Smagorinsky model

A mean-field approach (filtering out subgrid scales) is applied to the Boltzmann equation in order to derive a subgrid turbulence model based on kinetic theory. It is demonstrated that the only Smagorinsky type model which survives in the hydrodynamic limit on the viscosity time scale is the so-called tensor-diffusivity model. Scaling of the filter-width with Reynolds number and Knudsen number is established. This sets the first rigorous step in deriving turbulence models from kinetic theory. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.