Evidence for internal structures of spiral turbulence.

We present several observations into spiral turbulence in a Taylor-Couette geometry gained through a three-dimensional direct numerical simulation. Conditionally averaged flow statistics show the persistence of an azimuthal gradient of the mean flow across both the turbulent and laminar spirals, and distinct distribution features of the turbulent intensity. The data provide a physical picture qualitatively different from the existing model of spiral turbulence. Certain aspects of the spiral pattern are observed to bear similarities to the stationary laminar-turbulent pattern in plane Couette flow.