Supersonically Turbulent, Shock Bound Interaction Zones

TL;DR

This paper investigates the properties of shock bound interaction zones (SBIZs) in astrophysics through numerical simulations, examining turbulence, shock interactions, and potential observational implications in 2D and 3D settings.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of SBIZ characteristics in 2D and 3D, including turbulence-shock coupling and cooling effects, highlighting differences from periodic box turbulence studies.

Findings

Turbulence within SBIZs is strongly coupled to confining shocks.

Differences between SBIZ turbulence and periodic box turbulence are identified.

Potential impacts on X-ray emission from SBIZs are discussed.

Abstract

Shock bound interaction zones (SBIZs) are ubiquitous in astrophysics. We present numerical results for 2D and 3D, plane-parallel, infinitely extended SBIZs. Isothermal settings and parameterized cooling are considered. We highlight and compare characteristic of such zones. We emphasize the mutual coupling between the turbulence within the SBIZ and the confining shocks, point out potential differences to 3D periodic box studies of supersonic turbulence, and contemplate on possible effects on the X-ray emission of such zones.