Radioastronomical Studies of Interstellar Plasma Turbulence

爱荷华大学的斯潘格勒博士将开展一个多方面的研究项目，在相对较小的尺度上研究星际湍流。该项目包括无线电波长观测和计算等离子体物理。星际湍流的特征对星际介质的整体能量平衡有影响，因为密度波动最终会以热量的形式被抑制掉。同样，湍流的物理位置，其起源的性质，以及湍流的驱动能量输入对宇宙射线加速和传播理论以及星际磁场动力学都有影响。斯潘格勒博士发明了一系列方法，以获得关于星际介质密度波动的更好的观测数据。

Dr. Spangler at the University of Iowa will conduct a multifaceted research program to study interstellar turbulence on relatively small scale sizes. The program includes both radio wavelength observations and computational plasma physics. The character of interstellar turbulence has implications for the overall energy balance of the interstellar medium, since density fluctuations will eventually be damped out as heat. Likewise the physical locations of the turbulence, the nature of its origins, and the driving energy inputs for the turbulence have implications for theories of cosmic ray acceleration and propagation and for the dynamics of the interstellar magnetic field. Dr. Spangler has originated a series of methods to get better observational data on density fluctuations in the interstellar medium.