Hysteretic behavior between quasi-two-dimensional flow and three-dimensional flow in forced rotating turbulence

Conflict between formation of a cyclonic vortex and isotropization in forced homogeneous rotating turbulence is numerically investigated. It is well known that a large rotation rate of the system induces columnar vortices to result in quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) flow, while a small rotation rate allows turbulence to be three-dimensional (3D). It is found that the transition from the Q2D turbulent flow to the 3D turbulent flow and the reverse transition occur at different values of the rotation rates. At the intermediate rotation rates, bistability of these two statistically steady states is observed. Such hysteretic behavior is also observed for the variation of the amplitude of an external force.