Quasi-steady monopole and tripole attractors for relaxing vortices

Using fully nonlinear simulations of the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations at large Reynolds number (Re), we bracket a threshold amplitude above which a perturbed Gaussian monopole will relax to a quasi-steady, rotating tripole, and below which will relax to an axisymmetric monopole. The resulting quasi-steady structures are robust to small perturbations. We propose a means of measuring the decay rate of disturbances to asymptotic Vortical structures wherein streamlines and lines of constant vorticity correspond in some rotating or translating frame. These experiments support the hypothesis that small or moderate deviations from asymptotic structures decay through inviscid and viscous mixing. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.