Astronomy & Astrophysics Seminar: How well does turbulence theory describe the interstellar medium?
Dr. Blakesley Burkhart, CfA/ITC
Abstract:
The current paradigm of the interstellar medium (ISM) includes magnetized multiphase turbulence, with turbulence affecting many important physical processes including star formation, cosmic ray acceleration, and the evolution of ISM structure. The origin and driver of ISM turbulence on large scales (1kpc to 0.1 kpc) is likely related to the injection of energy from supernova explosions and gravitational instabilities. In order to quantitatively understand ISM turbulence and ISM structure evolution, comparisons between observations, simulations and theoretical predictions must be made. I shall discuss progress that has been made towards understanding the role interstellar turbulence plays in shaping the ISM with the development of new techniques which can be applied in the diffuse medium, as traced by 21 cm emission and synchrotron, as well as the dense molecular ISM. I will highlight several predictions made by analytical theory of turbulence for the power spectrum, as well as other newer turbulence diagnostics such as the genus and bispectrum, and show how they stack up to mounting observational measurements across the multiphase ISM.
Seminar Organizer: Prof. Amiel Sternberg
