On the Measurement of Vorticity in Astrophysical Fluids -- Part 2

Steven Spangler, professor emeritus of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa

In the first part of this seminar last fall, I discussed the definition of vorticity in a fluid, and why it is important in the nature and dynamics of turbulence. I also described why it is difficult to measure in an astrophysical fluid or plasma like the interstellar medium. In this talk, I will discuss a recent report of vorticity measurement in the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant, and also describe calculations to indicate if the true vorticity in an idealized vortex can be retrieved from astronomical measurements.