Jumps Across Transverse Ionizing MHD Shock Waves in Real Hydrogen Using B Compression as a Parameter. An Explicit Description of the State of an Equilibrium Hydrogen Plasma

摘要

The equations which describe an equilibrium hydrogen plasma with chemistry are presented as nine equations in nine unknowns. The derived state equations are applied in conjunction with the conservation equations and Maxwell's equations to predict jumps across transverse, ionizing MHD shock waves propagating into hydrogen. The jump equations were solved on a digital computer using the magnetic field compression as a parameter. This field compression, for various values of initial field, was set equal to 1, corresponding to ordinary shock waves, and was set equal to the ordinary gas compression across the shock, corresponding to pure MHD shock waves. The resulting post-shock temperature, density, electric field, and pressure as well as the mass fractions of the various plasma constituents, are presented graphically as functions of shock Mach number. The resulting curves are interesting in that they graphically demonstrate the interaction of the initial transverse magnetic field with the plasma; and they are useful in that they provide a means of estimating ranges in jumps across transverse ionizing shocks without prior knowledge of the character of the shock (ordinary, intermediate, or MHD). (Author)