Perturbation dynamics in Keplerian flow under external stochastic forcing

ABSTRACT We investigate the dynamics of linear perturbations in Keplerian flow under external stochastic force. To abstract from the details of flow structure and boundary conditions, we consider the problem in the shearing box approximation. An external force is assumed to have zero mean, even so, induced perturbations form a steady state, which provides angular momentum transfer to the periphery of the flow. The most effective scenario is based on the transient amplification of induced vortices with the following emission of a shearing sound wave, wherein the maximum of the flux linearly depends on Reynolds number. Thus such a mechanism is significant for astrophysical flows, for which enormous Reynolds numbers are typical. At the same time, addressing the problem analytically, we find that for incompressible fluid in the shearing box approximation stochastic forcing does not lead to average angular momentum transfer. Thus the compressibility of the fluid plays an important role here, and one cannot neglect it.