What Can the Kinematic Complexity of Astrophysical Shear Flows Lead To

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/307319· OSTI ID:6465792

Mahajan, S M ^[1]; Rogava, A D ^[2]

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1. Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-1083, and Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (Italy)
2. Centre for Plasma Astrophysics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200B, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy, and Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, Tbilisi, Georgia (United States)

We develop a method for investigating waves and instabilities in astrophysical shear flows with complex kinematics. Using new tools, we find an unexpected richness in the spectrum of compressible fluctuations sustained by such a flow. The principal characteristic of the revealed exotic phenomena is their [ital asymptotic persistence] in the absence of viscosity. [open quotes]Echoing[close quotes] as well as strongly unstable (including parametrically driven) solutions are identified. Examples of astrophysical shear flows with nontrivial velocity structure where these method and results can be applied are also discussed. [copyright] [ital [copyright] 1999.] [ital The American Astronomical Society]

• OSTI ID: 6465792
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 518:2; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASTROPHYSICS
FLOW MODELS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY
INTERNAL WAVES
SHEAR
STABILITY
FLUID MECHANICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
661300* - Other Aspects of Physical Science- (1992-)