The structure of radiative shock waves IV . Effects of electron thermal conduction

We consider the structure of steady–state radiative shock waves propagating in the partially ionized hydrogen gas with density ρ1 = 10 −10 gm cm and temperature 3000 K ≤ T1 ≤ 8000 K. The radiative shock wave models with electron thermal conduction in the vicinity of the viscous jump are compared with pure radiative models. The threshold shock wave velocity above of which effects of electron thermal conduction become perceptible is found to be of U∗ 1 ≈ 70 km s −1 and corresponds to the upstream Mach numbers from M1 ≈ 6 at T1 = 8000 K to M1 ≈ 11 at T1 = 3000 K. In shocks with efficient electron heat conduction more than a half of hydrogen atoms is ionized in the radiative precursor, whereas behind the viscous jump the hydrogen gas undergoes the full ionization. The existence of the electron heat conduction precursor leads to the enhancement of the Lyman continuum flux trapped in the surroundings of the discontinuous jump. As a result, the partially ionized hydrogen gas of the radiative precursor undergoes an additional ionization (δxH . 5%), whereas the total radiave flux emerging from the shock wave increases by 10% ≤ δ(FR) ≤ 25% for 70 km s −1 ≤ U1 ≤ 85 km s .