Limit shocks of relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

Limit shocks of relativistic magnetohydrodynamics , Punsly ’ s waveguide and the Blandford - Znajek solution

In this paper we show that switch-on and switch-off shocks are allowed by the shock equations of relativistic MHD and have similar properties to their Newtonian counterparts. Just like in Newtonian MHD they are limits of of fast and slow shock solutions and as such they may be classified as evolutionary shocks. The analysis of Punsly's MHD waveguide problem shows that both fast and Alfvén waves...

Relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

The lowest-order description of a magnetized plasma is given by magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). However, many astrophysical plasmas (as well as some laboratory plasmas) are relativistic, in that either the thermal speed or the fluid flow speed approaches the speed of light, and conventional MHD is not consistent with special relativity. Beginning with exact laws of motion, this work derives a gener...

Physics of relativistic shocks

Relativistic shocks are usually thought to occur in violent astrophysical explosions. These collisionless shocks are mediated by a plasma kinetic streaming instability, often loosely referred to as the Weibel instability, which generates strong magnetic fields “from scratch" very efficiently. In this review paper we discuss the shock micro-physics and present a recent model of “pre-conditioning...

Converging cylindrical shocks in ideal magnetohydrodynamics

General relativistic hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics: hyperbolic systems in relativistic astrophysics