The distribution of shock waves in driven supersonic turbulence
| dc.creator | Smith, Michael D. | |
| dc.creator | Mac Low, Mordecai-Mark | |
| dc.creator | Heitsch, Fabian | |
| dc.date | 2000-08-08 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-07T01:54:42Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-07T01:54:42Z | |
| dc.description | Supersonic turbulence generates distributions of shock waves. Here, we analyse the shock waves in three-dimensional numerical simulations of uniformly driven supersonic turbulence, with and without magnetohydrodynamics and self-gravity. We can identify the nature of the turbulence by measuring the distribution of the shock strengths. We find that uniformly driven turbulence possesses a power law distribution of fast shocks with the number of shocks inversely proportional to the square root of the shock jump speed. A tail of high speed shocks steeper than Gaussian results from the random superposition of driving waves which decay rapidly. The energy is dissipated by a small range of fast shocks. These results contrast with the exponential distribution and slow shock dissipation associated with decaying turbulence. A strong magnetic field enhances the shock number transverse to the field direction at the expense of parallel shocks. A simulation with self-gravity demonstrates the development of a number of highly dissipative accretion shocks. Finally, we examine the dynamics to demonstrate how the power-law behaviour arises. | |
| dc.description | accepted to Astron. & Astrophys.; ten pages | |
| dc.identifier | https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0008125 | |
| dc.identifier | http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0008125 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/1452 | |
| dc.subject | Astrophysics | |
| dc.title | The distribution of shock waves in driven supersonic turbulence | |
| dc.type | text |