Freely evolving two-dimensional turbulence is studied experimentally, in thin layers of electrolyte. The density of vortices, their mean sizes, and the average separation between them are measured during the decay phase. Power laws are observed, and the corresponding exponents are found in good agreement with a recent analysis of Carnevale et al.

• Received 30 July 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.67.3772