[517] Interfaces and inhomogeneous turbulence

Recent research has shown that a layer of strong shear may act as a barrier for eddies and prevent it from penetrating through that layer. These shear interfaces, because of their persistence, have a major importance on the flow dynamics because of their impact on transport of heat, mass and momentum. Over the past decade, their relevance has been recognized in a variety of different flows. In atmospheric flows the edge of the polar vortex is known to act as a barrier for the transport of ozone depleting gases; in turbulent boundary layers transport is blocked according to the same mechanism. Layers of shear are equally formed in planetary atmospheres (e.g. Jupiter , known as PV staircases), in plasmas (e.g. Tokamaks, Sun), transport barriers play a dominant role for the flow dynamics and explain anomalies observed in energy spectra. The aim of this meeting is to bridge these traditional research disciplines and to discuss interfacial processes which occur in a diverse areas of fluid mechanics.