Decompressive (cooling rarefaction) shock in optically thin radiative plasma.
It is shown that the decompressive shock, i.e., a shock where the pressure behind the front is smaller than the pressure ahead of it, is possible in a radiative plasma; this is in contrast to the situation in classic gas dynamics. An example of a steady state decompressive shock wave for a simple, but realistic model for radiative losses is presented. It is shown that it satisfies the Landau stability criteria.
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