Breakdown of Acceleration Waves in Radiative Magneto-fluids

Abstract

The problem of propagation of acceleration waves in an optically thick medium of electrically conducting fluid has been dealt with. During propagation of the waves, the effects of radiation pressure, radiation energy density, and heat transfer through thermal radiation and thermal conduction have been taken into account. The growth equation for the variation of amplitude of the wave has been derived and solved. It has been concluded that all the compressive waves with initial amplitudes greater than a critical value will grow and terminate into a shock wave due to nonlinear steepening, while all expansion waves will decay out. Acritical stage, when the compressive wave will either grow or decay, has also been discussed. The effects of radiation pressure and radiative heat transfer on the shock formation have been discussed and analysed.