  We study the statistical properties of orientation and rotation dynamics of
elliptical tracer particles in two-dimensional, homogeneous and isotropic
turbulence by direct numerical simulations. We consider both the cases in which
the turbulent flow is generated by forcing at large and intermediate length
scales. We show that the two cases are qualitatively different. For large-scale
forcing, the spatial distribution of particle orientations forms large-scale
structures, which are absent for intermediate-scale forcing. The alignment with
the local directions of the flow is much weaker in the latter case than in the
former. For intermediate-scale forcing, the statistics of rotation rates
depends weakly on the Reynolds number and on the aspect ratio of particles. In
contrast with what is observed in three-dimensional turbulence, in two
dimensions the mean-square rotation rate decreases as the aspect ratio
increases.
