Bonn 2010 – scientific programme
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EP: Fachverband Extraterrestrische Physik
EP 7: Fundamental Physics
EP 7.2: Talk
Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 15:15–15:30, AKM
Compressible MHD turbulence — •Christian Vogel1,2 and Wolf-Christian Müller1 — 1Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, Garching, Germany — 2Excellence Cluster Universe, Technische Universität München, Boltzmannstr. 2, D-85748, Garching, Germany
Understanding compressible MHD turbulence is key to describing compressible magnetized turbulent flows observed in astrophysical plasmas such as the interstellar medium. We present spectral scaling relations of supersonic and super-Alfvénic compressible MHD turbulence. Results of numerical simulations of the isothermal compressible MHD equations are compared to predictions of the Fleck model of compressible hydrodynamic turbulence. This includes self-similar scaling exponents of the turbulent velocity, the kinetic energy, and the density-weighted velocity over a range of sonic Mach numbers from subsonic flows to highly supersonic flows. Random large-scale driving of the velocity field and the magnetic field is used to keep the system in a statistically steady state. Additionally, we discuss the differing role of the non-linear turbulent energy transport in compressible and incompressible MHD turbulence.