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Computational study reveals evolving wake dynamics in a sphere at varying Reynolds numbers, indicating turbulence onset.
The wake behind a sphere undergoes a sequence of symmetry-breaking transitions as the Reynolds number (Re) increases, from a steady axisymmetric recirculation region to a fully three-dimensional turbulent wake. While these transitions have been documented experimentally over many decades, modern Large Eddy Simulations (LES) provide an opportunity to visualize their continuous evolution in detail. This contribution presents two stages of evolution: an unsteady vortex structure at moderate Reynolds number and the Taneda vortex during the drag crisis.
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Epple et al. (2026) studied this question.
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