  We study statistical properties of two-dimensional turbulent flows. Three
systems are considered: the Navier-Stokes equation, surface quasi-geostrophic
flow, and a model equation for thermal convection in the Earth's mantle. Direct
numerical simulations are used to determine 1-point fluctuation properties.
Comparative study shows universality of probability density functions (PDFs)
across different types of flow. Especially for the derivatives of the
``advected'' quantity, the shapes of the PDFs are the same for the three flows,
once normalized by the average size of fluctuations. Theoretical models for the
shape of PDFs are briefly discussed.
