Elastic Turbulence in Viscoelastic Flow

At low Reynolds number, polymer solutions can develop chaotic, turbulent-like flow driven purely by elastic stresses. Above a critical Weissenberg number (Wi = polymer relaxation time × shear rate), the Oldroyd-B model predicts instability and spatiotemporal chaos.

Wi = λγ̇ — ratio of elastic to viscous forces

Instability: Wi > Wi_c ≈ O(1)
Elastic stresses from stretched polymers feed back into the flow field, generating self-sustaining chaos at Re≪1.

Power spectrum: E(k) ~ k<�>⁻ᵅ with α ≈ 3.5
Regime: Laminar