Adaptively refined large eddy simulations of clusters

TL;DR

This paper introduces an adaptive numerical scheme for modeling unresolved turbulence in cosmological simulations, revealing how turbulence impacts galaxy cluster evolution and core properties.

Contribution

The paper develops a new subgrid turbulence model for adaptive mesh refinement codes and applies it to galaxy cluster simulations, highlighting its effects on cluster thermodynamics.

Findings

Turbulence production correlates with merger events.

Subgrid turbulence increases core entropy and temperature.

Unresolved turbulence contributes less than 1% to total energy.

Abstract

We present a numerical scheme for modelling unresolved turbulence in cosmological adaptive mesh refinement codes. As a first application, we study the evolution of turbulence in the intra-cluster medium and in the core of a galaxy cluster. Simulations with and without subgrid scale model are compared in detail. Since the flow in the ICM is subsonic, the global turbulent energy contribution at the unresolved length scales is smaller than 1% of the internal energy. We find that the production of turbulence is closely correlated with merger events occurring in the cluster environment, and its dissipation locally affects the cluster energy budget. Because of this additional source of dissipation, the core temperature is larger and the density is smaller in the presence of subgrid scale turbulence than in the standard adiabatic run, resulting in a higher entropy core value.