Examples of shock waves found in astrophysics: Herbig-Haro object (left) and supernova remnants (right).
Shock waves are common in astrophysical environments.[1]
Because of the low ambient density, most astronomical shocks are collisionless. This means that the shocks are not formed by two-body Coulomb collisions, since the mean free path for these collisions is too large, often exceeding the size of the system. Such shocks were first theorised by Frederic de Hoffmann and Edward Teller,[2] who studied shock waves in magnetized fluids with infinite conductivity. The precise mechanism for energy dissipation and entropy generation at such shocks is still under investigation, but it is widely accepted that the general mechanism driving these shocks consists of wave particle interaction and plasma instabilities, that operate on the scale of plasma skin depth, which is typically much shorter than the mean free path.
It is known that collisionless shocks are associated with extremely high energy particles, although it has not been definitively established if the high energy photons observed are emitted by protons, electrons or both. The energetic particles are in general believed to be accelerated by the Fermi acceleration mechanism. It is usually agreed that shocks caused by supernova remnants expanding in the interstellar medium accelerate the cosmic rays measured above the Earth's atmosphere.[3]
Shock waves in stellar environments, such as shocks inside a core collapse supernova explosion often become radiation mediated shocks. Such shocks are formed by photons colliding with the electrons of the matter, and the downstream of these shocks is dominated by radiation energy density rather than thermal energy of matter.
An important type of astrophysical shock is the relativistic shock, in which the shock velocity is a non-negligible fraction of the speed of light. These shocks are unique to astrophysical environments, and can be either collisionless or radiation mediated. Relativistic shocks are theoretically expected in gamma ray bursts, active galactic nucleus jets and in some types of supernovae.
Shockwaves are common in astrophysical environments. Because of the low ambient density, most astronomical shocks are collisionless. This means that the...
Inastrophysics, a bow shock occurs when the magnetosphere of an astrophysical object interacts with the nearby flowing ambient plasma such as the solar...
high-pressure shockwave rapidly forms. Shockwaves are not conventional sound waves; a shockwave takes the form of a very sharp change in the gas properties...
matter behaves in conditions similar to those inshockwavesinastrophysics. She is an associate professor at the University of Michigan, in the Department...
Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one...
however, is not universal as in the case of diffusive shock acceleration. Fermi-Ulam model Fermi glow Shockwavesinastrophysics Krymskii G.F. (1977) Dokl...
(destructive interference). In this way the interaction of blast waves is similar to that of sound waves or water waves. Blast waves cause damage by a combination...
between particles have no significant effect on the system. See Shockwavesinastrophysics. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the...
body waves—the primary (P waves) and secondary waves (S waves)—and surface waves, such as Rayleigh waves, Love waves, and Stoneley waves. A shockwave is...
vehicle. Research has been done into weakening shockwavesin transonic flight through the use of anti-shock bodies and supercritical airfoils. Most modern...
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self-similar analytic solution (see blast wave). Strong X-ray emission traces the strong shockwaves and hot shocked gas. Cooling of the shell, to form a thin...
the superfluid analogue of shockwaves and tornadoes: These dramatic excitations result in the formation of solitons that in turn decay into quantized...
central role of radiation in the theory of interstellar shockwaves and ionization ruptures, and constructed the theory of waves with illumination. He studied...
Physics of ShockWaves and High-Temperature Hydrodynamic Phenomena, Volume 1. Dover. Zel'dovich Ya.B., Raizer Yu.P. (2012). Physics of ShockWaves and High-Temperature...
Simulations of Standing Accretion Shock Instability in Core-Collapse Supernovae" (PDF). 14th Workshop on Nuclear Astrophysics. Archived from the original (PDF)...
the structure of shockwavesin atomic and molecular gas, and the dynamics of blast wavesin both homogeneous and inhomogeneous media. In collaboration with...
Existence of Three ShockWaves, On the Determination of the Velocity of a Projectile from the Beat Waves Produced by Interference with the Waves of Modified...
energy release at the Sun. CMEs cause shockwavesin the thin plasma of the heliosphere, launching electromagnetic waves and accelerating particles (mostly...
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