A Complete 2D Stability Analysis of Fast MHD Shocks in an Ideal Gas

Abstract

An algorithm of numerical testing of the uniform Lopatinski condition for linearized stability problems for 1-shocks is suggested. The algorithm is used for finding the domains of uniform stability, neutral stability, and instability of planar fast MHD shocks. A complete stability analysis of fast MHD shock waves is first carried out in two space dimensions for the case of an ideal gas. Main results are given for the adiabatic constant γ=5/3 (mono-atomic gas), that is most natural for the MHD model. The cases γ=7/5 (two-atomic gas) and γ>5/3 are briefly discussed. Not only the domains of instability and linear (in the usual sense) stability, but also the domains of uniform stability, for which a corresponding linearized stability problem satisfies the uniform Lopatinski condition, are numerically found for different given angles of inclination of the magnetic field behind the shock to the planar shock front. As is known, uniform linearized stability implies the nonlinear stability, that is local existence of discontinuous shock front solutions of a quasilinear system of hyperbolic conservation laws.