Large Eddy Numerical Simulation of MHD Mixing Layers

L. BILBAO; F. T. GRATTON; G. GNAVI

Santiago de Chile

Conferencia; 2010 ICPP - XIII LAWPP; 2010

SOCIEDAD CHILENA DE FÍSICA

We study the nonlinear evolution of mixing layers subject to the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability with MHD codes for large eddy simulation (LES). We describe features of large vortices development that influence the downstream growth of the boundary layer width. A prediction of theory is that for flows with constant density the presence of velocity gradient interferes with the tearing process when the Alfven Mach number, MA > 1. The tearing modes are absent in super-Alfvenic flows which are, instead, dominated by the KH instability. The opposition between tearing and KH instabilities is investigated by including the effect of resistivity on LES. Three-Dimensional (3D), time depend, multi-component, two-temperature code was used.