Effect of non-thermality of electron and negative ion on the polarity of shock waves in a relativistic plasma

Abstract

Considering the effect of non-thermality of electrons and negative ions, the evolution of shock waves and their characteristics in a relativistic plasma is investigated by deriving a three-dimensional Burgers' (3D-Burgers') equation. Based on the stationary solution of the 3D-Burgers' equation, the nature of propagation of shock waves for different suitable physically admissible ranges of plasma parameters, is carried out. Both compressive and rarefactive shock waves are found to propagate in such plasma under different combinations of non-thermal plasma parameters. The critical values of non-thermal electron and negative ion parameters, normalized electron, and negative ion density under which the non-linear co-efficient vanishes is sought. The nature of propagation of shock waves, below, above, and at the critical parameters is carried out. The non-thermal population of negative ions and electrons as well as normalized electron and negative ion density plays a pivotal role in controlling the polarity of the shock wave propagation. Compressive and rarefactive shock is found to propagate simultaneously with the non-thermal population of negative ions for different chosen values of normalized negative ion density at the critical value of normalized electron density.