Information entropy untangles vortices and flows in turbulent plasmas: A turbulence analysis inspired by quantum information theory

A research team including Motoki Nakata (Visiting Scientist, iTHEMS) has proposed a novel method that interprets structural transitions and nonlinear interactions in turbulent fields from the perspective of “information,” inspired from information entropy and its mathematical formalism used in quantum mechanics theory.

This approach has enabled the discovery of new turbulent states in plasma—states that had been overlooked by conventional energy-based analysis methods—and the extraction of key interactions among vortices and flows in various scales. The team also proposes an application of this method to experimental measurements that observe turbulence and fluctuations.

Looking ahead, this technique is expected to be applied beyond turbulent plasmas to a wide range of research domains involving “complex flows” and “mutually correlated fluctuations,” appearing in atmospheric, oceanic, and social systems.

For more details, please refer to the press release available through the related links.