Analysis of cancellation in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

A signed measure analysis of two-dimensional intermittent magnetohydrodynamic turbulence is presented. This kind of analysis is performed to characterize the scaling behavior of the sign-oscillating flow structures, and their geometrical properties. In particular, it is observed that cancellations between positive and negative contributions of the field inside structures are inhibited for scales smaller than the Taylor microscale, and stop near the dissipative scale. Moreover, from a simple geometrical argument, the relationship between the cancellation exponent and the typical fractal dimension of the structures in the flow is obtained. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.