Loitsyansky integral ($I=-\int r^2⟨\mathbf{u}\cdot {\mathbf{u}}^{\prime }⟩d^{3}r$)

The Loitsyansky integral is the second spatial moment of the trace velocity correlation tensor, with the displayed sign convention. If correlations decay sufficiently rapidly, it is the coefficient of $k^4/(24{\pi }^2)$ in the turbulent energy spectrum. In terms of the normalized longitudinal velocity correlation it is $8\pi u^2{\int }_0^{\infty }{r}^{4}f(r)dr$ when the boundary terms vanish; conventions omitting $8\pi$ also occur. Its evolution is $\dot{I}=8\pi [r^4{u}^{3}K{]}_{\infty }-12\nu L$, where $L$ is the Saffman integral. Thus it is invariant when $L=0$ and the longitudinal triple correlation is $o(r^{-4})$, not under arbitrary turbulent conditions.

For a confined incompressible flow with no velocity flux across the boundary, an integrated divergence identity gives $⟨|\int \mathbf{x}\times \mathbf{u}dV{|}^2⟩=-\iint r^2⟨\mathbf{u}\cdot {\mathbf{u}}^{\prime }⟩dVd{V}^{\prime }$. In a large approximately homogeneous region with short correlations, the latter is approximately $VI$. Conservation of angular momentum in an isolated torque-free cloud then motivates conservation of the Loitsyansky integral. A fixed subvolume of infinite turbulence is not an isolated cloud: advective transport, pressure torques, wall stresses and long-range correlations can invalidate the argument.

Assume a nonzero invariant Loitsyansky integral, self-preserving large-scale correlations, and high-Reynolds number freely decaying isotropic turbulence. Then $I\propto u^2{\ell }^5$ and $-d(u^2)/dt\propto u^3/\ell$ imply the displayed decay and growth laws. The assumptions on correlation shape and the dissipation coefficient are needed in addition to conservation of the integral.