Lagrangian averages, averaged Lagrangians, and the mean effects of fluctuations in fluid dynamics

Abstract

We begin by placing the generalized Lagrangian mean (GLM) equations for a compressible adiabatic fluid into the Euler–Poincaré (EP) variational framework of fluid dynamics, for an averaged Lagrangian. This is the Lagrangian averaged Euler–Poincaré (LAEP) theorem. Next, we derive a set of approximate small amplitude GLM equations (glmequations) at second order in the fluctuating displacement of a Lagrangian trajectory from its mean position. These equations express the linear and nonlinear back-reaction effects on the Eulerian mean fluid quantities by the fluctuating displacements of the Lagrangian trajectories in terms of their Eulerian second moments. The derivation of the glmequations uses the linearized relations between Eulerian and Lagrangian fluctuations, in the tradition of Lagrangian stability analysis for fluids. The glm derivation also uses the method of averaged Lagrangians, in the tradition of wave, mean flow interaction. Next, the new glm EP motion equations for incompressible ideal fluids are compared with the Euler-alpha turbulence closure equations. An alpha model is a GLM (or glm) fluid theory with a Taylor hypothesis closure. Such closures are based on the linearized fluctuation relations that determine the dynamics of the Lagrangian statistical quantities in the Euler-alpha equations. Thus, by using the LAEP theorem, we bridge between the GLM equations and the Euler-alpha closure equations, through the small-amplitude glm approximation in the EP variational framework. We conclude by highlighting a new application of the GLM, glm, and α-model results for Lagrangian averaged ideal magnetohydrodynamics.