Iso-scalar surfaces, mixing and reaction in turbulent flows

Turbulent scalar mixing with chemical reaction is investigated in terms of the local geometrical features of the iso-scalar surfaces—‘scalar field topologies’—, using Direct Numerical Simulation data. Two scalars with identical initial distribution, one inert and the other obeying a prescribed Arrhenius-like chemical reaction, evolve in homogeneous isotropic turbulence with a mesh size 2563. The two local principal curvatures, k1 and k2, of