Flux Correlations in Supersonic Isothermal Turbulence
Abstract
Knowing the properties of turbulence and their physical origins is necessary for our complete understanding of star formation within molecular clouds. However, until recently, there were no analytic models specific to compressible turbulence, and most work focused on adapting what is known from incompressible fluids, such as the Kolmogorov four-fifths law. Using data from a large-scale three-dimensional simulation of supersonic (M=6) isothermal turbulence, we verify an exact flux relation derived analytically from the Navier-Stokes equations by Falkovich, Fouxon, and Oz [Journal of Fluid Mechanics 644, 465 (2010)], which serves as the compressible case analogue of the Kolmogorov four-fifths law. We find strong support for the new relation; recovering both the predicted linear scaling and an excellent agreement with the predicted slope value.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #218
- Pub Date:
- May 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AAS...21840709W