Physics of Shock Waves in Gases and Plasmas, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1986 Springer Series in Electronics and Photonics Series, Vol. 19

As Emile Jouguet remarked, "the shock wave flew off the tip of the pen of a theoretician for the first time" about a hundred years ago. The physics of shock waves has since grown into an independent branch of science closely linked with a wide range of research areas, from astrophysics and plasma physics to solid-state physics. Since the beginning, theoretical investiga­ tion has kept its leading role. The present book is devoted to actual problems of the theory of shock waves in gases and plasmas, that are of general interest to physicists. It con­ tains the results of studies on shock structure, stability, evolutionarity and dynamics. Of special interest is the theory of shock phenomena in mag­ netic fields, which is important for applied research on controlled nuclear fusion. A substantial contribution to this theory has been made by these authors. This monograph is the first attempt in the literature to make a systematic presentation of the shock-structure theory.The theory is consistently sub­ stantiated by relevant experimental results obtained recently with the use of high-power electromagnetic shock tubes. The material contained here is applicable to the solution of a wide variety of problems arising in plasma physics, nuclear fusion and cosmic gasdynamics. I believe that this book will be of help and interest for a broad circle of research workers (physi­ cists, astrophysicists and engineers concerned with energy accumulation, shock phenomena and other related problems of plasma hydrodynamics) as well as for university staff, post- and undergraduates.

1. Introduction to the Theory of Gasdynamic Shock Waves.- 1.1 Equations of Motion.- 1.2 Kinetic Theory and Gasdynamic Equations.- 1.3 Limits of Applicability of the Gasdynamic Equations in Studying Shock-Wave Structure.- 1.4 Linear and Nonlinear Waves.- 1.5 Origins of Discontinuities.- 1.6 Discontinuities and Shocks.- 1.7 Criteria of Stability and Evolutionarity of Discontinuities.- 1.8 Structures of Gasdynamic Shock Waves.- 1.9 Detonation and Deflagration.- 2. Gas Shock Ionization and Shock-Wave Structures in Plasmas.- 2.1 Shock Structures in a Completely Ionized Plasma.- 2.2 Shock Structure in a Plasma with Ionization.- 2.3 Structure of an Ionizing Shock Wave.- 2.4 Effects of Plasma Flow Nonunidimensionality in Ionizing Shock Waves.- 3. Magnetohydrodynamic Shock Waves in Plasmas.- 3.1 Basic Equations.- 3.2 Magnetohydrodynamic Waves.- 3.3 Discontinuities and Shock Waves in Magnetohydrodynamics.- 3.4 Structures of Transverse Shocks.- 3.5 Structures of Switch-On Shock Waves.- 4. Ionizing Shock Waves in Magnetic Fields: Structures and Stability.- 4.1 Classification and the Problem of Boundary Conditions.- 4.2 Shock Structures and Additional Boundary Conditions.- 4.3 Transverse Ionizing Shock Waves.- 4.4 Normal Ionizing Shock Waves.- 4.5 Switch-Off Ionizing Shock Waves.- 5. Dynamics of Shock Waves in Magnetic Fields.- 5.1 Electromagnetic Shock Tubes.- 5.2 Piston Problem.- 5.3 Dynamics of Transverse Shocks in Magnetized Plasma.- 5.4 Evolution of the Initial Ionizing Discontinuity in the Transverse Magnetic Field.- 5.5 Shaping the Structure of the Normal Ionizing Shock.- References.