Intermittency suppression in turbulence via forced light particles (a)

Abstract We investigate how turbulence can be reshaped by acting directly on vortex filaments through externally actuated light particles, using high-resolution direct numerical simulations with four-way coupling. Preferential concentration localises the particles within these coherent vortical structures, making it possible to inject a controlled, small-scale perturbation precisely where intermittency is most pronounced. We show that this combination of localisation and momentum feedback can effectively reduce intermittency, establishing a proof-of-concept mechanism to steer small-scale turbulence statistics, and shedding new light on the intricate relationship between vortex filaments and turbulence intermittency. While light particles provide a natural realisation of this idea, the underlying concept is more general and could be implemented with other Lagrangian agents that localise in targeted coherent structures.