Wave-resolved direct numerical simulation and statistical analysis of Langmuir turbulence

Langmuir turbulence generated by the interaction between progressive surface waves and wind shear-induced turbulence is simulated using a wave-resolved direct numerical simulation (DNS) approach. The incipient generation and time evolution of the Langmuir turbulence caused by wave-turbulence interaction are analyzed statistically. The DNS results are also compared with the numerical modeling results obtained using the classical wave-averaged Craik–Leibovich (CL) model. A detailed analysis of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budget shows that although the characteristics of the Langmuir turbulence obtained by the two models are similar, the detailed mechanisms for TKE production through wave-turbulence interaction are different in the flow fields obtained from the wave-resolved DNS and the wave-averaged CL model.