Physics of Wave Turbulence

A century ago, Lewis Fry Richardson introduced the concept of energy cascades in turbulence. Since this conceptual breakthrough, turbulence has been studied in diverse systems and our knowledge has increased considerably through theoretical, numerical, experimental and observational advances. Eddy turbulence and wave turbulence are the two regimes we can find in nature. So far, most attention has been devoted to the former regime, eddy turbulence, which is often observed in water. However, physicists are often interested in systems for which wave turbulence is relevant. This textbook deals with wave turbulence and systems composed of a sea of weak waves interacting non-linearly. After a general introduction which includes a brief history of the field, the theory of wave turbulence is introduced rigorously for surface waves. The theory is then applied to examples in hydrodynamics, plasma physics, astrophysics and cosmology, giving the reader a modern and interdisciplinary view of the subject.

• Provides an introduction to eddy turbulence to facilitate understanding of the main ideas
• Presents a rigorous overview of the theory underpinning wave turbulence, using a simple example to introduce key concepts step-by-step
• Examines the links and transitions between the two regimes, which often coexist and interact