Two-temperature radiative shocks with electron thermal conduction

Abstract

The influence of electron thermal conduction on radiative shock structure is studied for both one- and two-temperature plasmas. The dimensionless ratio of the conductive length to the cooling length determines whether or not conduction is important, and shock jump conditions with conduction are established for a collisionless shock front. Approximate solutions are obtained, with the assumptions that the ionization state of the gas is constant and the cooling rate is a function of temperature alone. In the absence of magnetic fields, these solutions indicate that conduction noticeably influences normal-abundance interstellar shocks with velocities 50-100 km/s and dramatically affects metal-dominated shocks over a wide range of shock velocities.