Abstract
The properties of supersonic, compressible plasma turbulence determine the behavior of many terrestrial and astrophysical systems. In the interstellar medium and molecular clouds, compressible turbulence plays a vital role in star formation and the evolution of our galaxy. Observations of the density and velocity power spectra in the Orion B and Perseus molecular clouds show large deviations from those predicted for incompressible turbulence. Hydrodynamic simulations attribute this to the high Mach number in the interstellar medium (ISM), although the exact details of this dependence are not well understood. Here we investigate experimentally the statistical behavior of boundary-free supersonic turbulence created by the collision of two laser-driven high-velocity turbulent plasma jets. The Mach number dependence of the slopes of the density and velocity power spectra agree with astrophysical observations, and supports the notion that the turbulence transitions from being Kolmogorov-like at low Mach number to being more Burgers-like at higher Mach numbers.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1758 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Nature Communications |
| Volume | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Apr 2019 |
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Keywords
- plasma turbulence
- hydrodynamic simulations
- interstellar medium (ISM)
- Mach number
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Supersonic plasma turbulence in the laboratory. / White, T. G.; Oliver, M. T.; Mabey, P.; Kühn-Kauffeldt, M.; Bott, A. F. A.; Döhl, L. N. K.; Bell, A. R.; Bingham, R.; Clarke, R.; Foster, J.; Giacinti, G.; Graham, P.; Heathcote, R.; Koenig, M.; Kuramitsu, Y.; Lamb, D. Q.; Meinecke, J.; Michel, Th.; Miniati, F.; Notley, M.; Reville, B.; Ryu, D.; Sarkar, S.; Sakawa, Y.; Selwood, M. P.; Squire, J.; Scott, R. H. H.; Tzeferacos, P.; Woolsey, N.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Gregori, G.
In: Nature Communications, Vol. 10, 1758, 15.04.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Supersonic plasma turbulence in the laboratory
AU - White, T. G.
AU - Oliver, M. T.
AU - Mabey, P.
AU - Kühn-Kauffeldt, M.
AU - Bott, A. F. A.
AU - Döhl, L. N. K.
AU - Bell, A. R.
AU - Bingham, R.
AU - Clarke, R.
AU - Foster, J.
AU - Giacinti, G.
AU - Graham, P.
AU - Heathcote, R.
AU - Koenig, M.
AU - Kuramitsu, Y.
AU - Lamb, D. Q.
AU - Meinecke, J.
AU - Michel, Th.
AU - Miniati, F.
AU - Notley, M.
AU - Reville, B.
AU - Ryu, D.
AU - Sarkar, S.
AU - Sakawa, Y.
AU - Selwood, M. P.
AU - Squire, J.
AU - Scott, R. H. H.
AU - Tzeferacos, P.
AU - Woolsey, N.
AU - Schekochihin, A. A.
AU - Gregori, G.
PY - 2019/4/15
Y1 - 2019/4/15
N2 - The properties of supersonic, compressible plasma turbulence determine the behavior of many terrestrial and astrophysical systems. In the interstellar medium and molecular clouds, compressible turbulence plays a vital role in star formation and the evolution of our galaxy. Observations of the density and velocity power spectra in the Orion B and Perseus molecular clouds show large deviations from those predicted for incompressible turbulence. Hydrodynamic simulations attribute this to the high Mach number in the interstellar medium (ISM), although the exact details of this dependence are not well understood. Here we investigate experimentally the statistical behavior of boundary-free supersonic turbulence created by the collision of two laser-driven high-velocity turbulent plasma jets. The Mach number dependence of the slopes of the density and velocity power spectra agree with astrophysical observations, and supports the notion that the turbulence transitions from being Kolmogorov-like at low Mach number to being more Burgers-like at higher Mach numbers.
AB - The properties of supersonic, compressible plasma turbulence determine the behavior of many terrestrial and astrophysical systems. In the interstellar medium and molecular clouds, compressible turbulence plays a vital role in star formation and the evolution of our galaxy. Observations of the density and velocity power spectra in the Orion B and Perseus molecular clouds show large deviations from those predicted for incompressible turbulence. Hydrodynamic simulations attribute this to the high Mach number in the interstellar medium (ISM), although the exact details of this dependence are not well understood. Here we investigate experimentally the statistical behavior of boundary-free supersonic turbulence created by the collision of two laser-driven high-velocity turbulent plasma jets. The Mach number dependence of the slopes of the density and velocity power spectra agree with astrophysical observations, and supports the notion that the turbulence transitions from being Kolmogorov-like at low Mach number to being more Burgers-like at higher Mach numbers.
KW - plasma turbulence
KW - hydrodynamic simulations
KW - interstellar medium (ISM)
KW - Mach number
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064429152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.nature.com/ncomms/
U2 - 10.1038/s41467-019-09498-y
DO - 10.1038/s41467-019-09498-y
M3 - Article
VL - 10
JO - Nature Communications
T2 - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
SN - 2041-1723
M1 - 1758
ER -