Second-order structure function scaling derivation from the Euler and magnetohydrodynamic equations

An anomalous scaling paradigm that has recently come to be canonical has two features limiting its range of applicability: The driving and driven fields are separated dyamically and the driving field statistics is prescribed, in terms of the (inertial subrange) scaling of its second-order structure functions and of white-noise statistics in time. Then the spectrum of scaling exponents for the driven field, scalar or vector, depends parametrically on the driving. Here, the coupling of turbulent vorticity to the driving velocity field is considered. Using simple approximations and no white-noise statistics assumption, equations are derived for the evolution of two-point second-order correlations. The turbulent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) case is treated in an analogous fashion. In the neutral case, the kinematic coupling between vorticity and velocity leads to a unique prediction for the scaling exponent of the second-order structure functions of the two turbulent fields. The velocity scaling exponent estimate is ζ₂=3^1/2-1≈0.732, i.e., close to experimental data. Unlike Kolmogorov scaling, this result is systematically derived from the Euler equations. The analogous scaling of MHD fields is now treated beyond the dynamo theory approximation. In contrast to the uniqueness found in the neutral case, predicted MHD scalings depend on one parameter, similar to the “plasma beta” parameter β_T relating kinetic to magnetic energy. The nature of predicted dependence of inertial-range scaling exponents on β_T agrees with an observed dichotomy between high-β_T and low-β_T turbulence regimes.