Physics Colloquium: The Origins and Implications of Turbulence in Galaxies

Abstract:

"The Origins and Implications of Turbulence in Galaxies" Magnetic fields and turbulence are vital components in galactic processes, including cosmic ray transport, interstellar medium (ISM) structure formation, and star formation. However turbulence is difficult to measure observationally and the role of simulations is vital both for testing theories of ISM turbulence and for gauging observational diagnostics via synthetic observations. In this talk I will discuss the origins of turbulence in galaxies, and its connection to the star formation process, both from the perspective of observations of star forming molecular clouds and also from numerical simulations of magnetized turbulence. I will also highlight how turbulence can be measured in the ISM and in the solar wind using new statistical tools.

Event Organizer: Prof. Ben Svetitsky