On growth and propagation of shock waves in radiation-magneto gas dynamics

Abstract

Using the theory of rays the growth and propagation of shock, shock strength in radiation magneto gas dynamic flow under the assumption that the flow upstream is uniform but not at rest, and no restriction on the downstream flow, have been studied here. The differential equation governing the growth and decay of shock-strength along the ray has been formulated. The effects of various parameters like magnetic field intensity, radiation flux number and coefficient of thermal conductivity on the variation of shock strength have been obtained by integrating the differential equation numerically. The different cases of shocks for example perpendicular, parallel and switch off have also been considered. It has been concluded that in each case of parallel, perpendicular and switch off hydromagnetic shocks, the shock strength decreases along the ray, the difference is only in the decay rate in different cases. The decay rate is very slow in the case of switch-off hydromagnetic shock compared to other two cases. Also in all three cases an increase in the magnetic field intensity causes decrease in the decay rate, i.e., enhances the growth rate. The effect of radiation heat transfer on these shocks is to further slow down the decay rate.