# Scale-Split Neural Operator for Memory- and Data-Efficient 3D Turbulence Prediction

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.38977 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.38977/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 29 of its 51 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 30 Sep 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 29 of 29)

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- [Adding Conditional Control to Text-to-Image Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.05543/) (2023)
- [Fourier Neural Operator for Parametric Partial Differential Equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.08895/) (2020)
- [DeepONet: Learning nonlinear operators for identifying differential equations based on the universal approximation theorem of operators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1910.03193/) (2019)
- [Machine learning accelerated computational fluid dynamics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.01010/) (2021)
- [PDEBENCH: An Extensive Benchmark for Scientific Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.07182/) (2022)
- [Choose a Transformer: Fourier or Galerkin](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.14995/) (2021)
- [GNOT: A General Neural Operator Transformer for Operator Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.14376/) (2023)
- [Transolver: A Fast Transformer Solver for PDEs on General Geometries](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.02366/) (2024)
- [U-FNO -- An enhanced Fourier neural operator-based deep-learning model for multiphase flow](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.03697/) (2021)
- [Factorized Fourier Neural Operators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.13802/) (2021)
- [Multiwavelet-based Operator Learning for Differential Equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.13459/) (2021)
- [U-NO: U-shaped Neural Operators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.11127/) (2022)
- [PDE-Refiner: Achieving Accurate Long Rollouts with Neural PDE Solvers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.05732/) (2023)
- [Towards Physics-informed Deep Learning for Turbulent Flow Prediction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1911.08655/) (2019)
- [Poseidon: Efficient Foundation Models for PDEs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.19101/) (2024)
- [The Well: a Large-Scale Collection of Diverse Physics Simulations for Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.00568/) (2024)
- [Scalable Transformer for PDE Surrogate Modeling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.17560/) (2023)
- [Learned Coarse Models for Efficient Turbulence Simulation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.15275/) (2021)
- [Multi-Grid Tensorized Fourier Neural Operator for High-Resolution PDEs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.00120/) (2023)
- [Neural Operators with Localized Integral and Differential Kernels](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.16845/) (2024)
- [Learning to correct spectral methods for simulating turbulent flows](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.00556/) (2022)
- [From Zero to Turbulence: Generative Modeling for 3D Flow Simulation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.01776/) (2023)
- [Group Equivariant Fourier Neural Operators for Partial Differential Equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.05697/) (2023)
- [PDE-Transformer: Efficient and Versatile Transformers for Physics Simulations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.24717/) (2025)
- [Transform Once: Efficient Operator Learning in Frequency Domain](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.14453/) (2022)
- [Modeling Multivariable High-resolution 3D Urban Microclimate Using Localized Fourier Neural Operator](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.11348/) (2024)
- [LOGLO-FNO: Efficient Learning of Local and Global Features in Fourier Neural Operators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.04260/) (2025)
- [EddyFormer: Accelerated Neural Simulations of Three-Dimensional Turbulence at Scale](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.24173/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Neural surrogates have emerged as fast alternatives to the numerical simulation of three-dimensional turbulence. However, training them at high resolution remains challenging, since the memory of full-field models grows with the resolution. In addition, full-resolution training data are expensive to simulate and store, and therefore scarce. We introduce ScaleSplit-NO (Scale-Split Neural Operator), which exploits the scale structure of turbulence with two neural operators: a Parent predicts the global coarse field at the next time step, and a Child predicts full-resolution local patches conditioned on this prediction. Neither model operates on the full-resolution field. The Child is pretrained alone and then attached to the Parent's coarse prediction through zero-initialized connections. On two complex high-resolution turbulence benchmarks, ScaleSplit-NO surpasses all competing baselines in both prediction accuracy and data efficiency. On the higher-resolution dataset JHTDB256 (2563), its normalized mean squared error (NMSE) is 53% lower than that of the strongest baseline, and its training memory is 79% lower than that of the most memory-efficient baseline. We further demonstrate its effectiveness for urban wind prediction in a real district of Montreal on a 500×150×500 grid, reducing one-step NMSE by 65.8% relative to the baseline. Moreover, swapping in a Parent trained on additional coarse fields improves prediction without retraining the Child, providing further accuracy gains at a small storage cost.