Turbulent motions and shocks waves in galaxy clusters simulated with adaptive mesh refinement

Abstract

We have implemented an adaptive mesh refinement criterion explicitly designed to increase spatial resolution around discontinuities in the velocity field in ENZO cosmological simulations. With this technique, shocks and turbulent eddies developed during the hierarchical assembly of galaxy clusters are followed with unprecedented spatial resolution, even at large distances from the clusters center. By measuring the spectral properties of the gas velocity field, its time evolution and the properties of shocks for a reference galaxy cluster, we investigate the connection between accretion processes and the onset of chaotic motions in the simulated inter-galactic medium over a wide range of scales. © 2009 ESO.