Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Visually Based Characterization of the Incipient Particle Motion in Regular Substrates: From Laminar to Turbulent Conditions
Published on: February 22, 2018
Coherent structures in dissipative particle dynamics simulations of the transition to turbulence in compressible
Jan-Willem van de Meent1, Alexander Morozov, Ellák Somfai
1Instituut-Lorentz, University of Leiden, Postbus 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
We present simulations of coherent structures in compressible flows near the transition to turbulence using the dissipative particle dynamics method. The structures we find are remarkably consistent with experimental observations and direct numerical simulations (DNS) simulations of incompressible flows, despite a difference in Mach number of several orders of magnitude. The bifurcation from the laminar flow is bistable and shifts to higher Reynolds numbers when the fluid becomes more compressible. This work underlines the robustness of coherent structures in the transition to turbulence and illustrates the ability of particle-based methods to reproduce complex nonlinear instabilities.
Related Concept Videos
Couette Flow
Laminar and Turbulent Flow
Navier–Stokes Equations
Turbulent Flow
Steady, Laminar Flow Between Parallel Plates
Steady, Laminar Flow in Circular Tubes

