Spectral and intermittency properties of relativistic turbulence

Abstract

High-resolution numerical simulations are utilized to examine isotropic turbulence in a compressible fluid when long-wavelength velocity fluctuations approach light speed. Spectral analysis reveals an inertial sub-range of relativistic motions with a broadly 5/3 index. The use of generalized Lorentz covariant structure functions based on the four-velocity is proposed. These structure functions extend the She-Leveque model for intermittency into the relativistic regime. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.