Magnetohydrodynamic shocks in molecular clouds

Details Magnetohydrodynamic shocks in molecular clouds Magnetohydrodynamic shocks in molecular clouds

Jan 1987

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987apj...312..143c&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 312, Jan. 1, 1987, p. 143-169.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

41

Cosmic Plasma, Magnetohydrodynamic Flow, Molecular Clouds, Shock Wave Propagation, Astronomical Models, Interstellar Magnetic Fields, Interstellar Matter, Magnetohydrodynamic Waves, Radiative Transfer

Scientific paper

MHD shocks in partially ionized gas with radiative cooling and ionization are discussed. The basic theory has been extended to include magnetic fields which lie at an oblique angle to the shock velocity. An analytic theory of energy-conserving and momentum-conserving flows is given. The mathematical nature of the shock problem, the presence of a critical point downstream, and the effects of cooling are discussed. Two parameters are found which control the qualitative neture of the solution: the Alfven Mach number of the gas and the ratio of radiative cooling to ion-neutral drift heating. A simple analytic model for cooling shows how radiative losses affect the structure. Strong cooling leads to nearly continuous transitions of the neutral gas from the upstream to downstream states; however, there is often a weak shock downstream. The shock problem is solved numerically over a large range of Alfven Mach numbers and cooling-to-heating ratios. Finally, the qualitative features of ionization breakdown in the partially ionized gas is discussed.

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