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A statistical description of astrophysical turbulence

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Abstract

The properties of the ISM indicate that it is turbulent. However, the ISM turbulence is radically different from that in incompressible fluids. That is why it is so important to study it through observations. The relevant study still poses a challenging problem. In the present paper recent results based on a statistical approach to the problem are surveyed. Although it was pointed out long ago (see Kaplanet al., 1970) that random 3D motions of the ISM gas result in fluctuations of the observed electromagnetic emission, it is only recently that the problem of recovering statistical properties of the ISM turbulence from the line integrated data was given an adequate mathematical treatment. Here by the example of studying turbulence in HI, it is shown that the inverse problem can be solved uniquely using a realistic model of the ISM. The application of theoretical conclusions to existing data explains some facts which used to be considered inconsistent with turbulent behaviour and reveals unexpected features of the ISM turbulence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DAMTP, University of Cambridge, UK

    A. Lazarian

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  1. A. Lazarian
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Lazarian, A. A statistical description of astrophysical turbulence. Astrophys Space Sci 216, 207–212 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982495

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982495

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