Intermittent viscoelastic turbulence in strongly coupled plasmas
Phys. Rev. Fluids 11, 043301 – Published 13 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ydt9-qq91
Abstract
Turbulence in strongly coupled plasmas (SCP) poses a unique challenge due to long-range interparticle interactions that impart viscoelastic properties to the medium. We report the first observation of intermittent viscoelastic turbulence in such plasmas using large-scale three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations. In driven dissipative SCP, we observe scale-dependent flow dynamics arising from the interplay between potential (elastic) and viscous stresses at the particle level. Unlike conventional turbulence, which is governed by inertia and viscosity, SCP showcases distinct energy transfer processes due to its inherent viscoelasticity. Both kinetic and elastic energy spectra exhibit power-law scaling . In real space, velocity structure functions demonstrate nontrivial scaling, and the probability distribution functions of velocity increments show significant deviations from Gaussian behavior, particularly in the tails, indicating intermittent behavior. These findings establish SCP as a platform for studying viscoelastic turbulence, with broad relevance to astrophysical plasmas, soft matter, and nonequilibrium statistical physics.