2001/09/30 by S. Mendoza, M. S. Longair · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysical jet #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Bent molecular geometry #Deflection (physics) #Jet (fluid) #Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics #Polytropic process #Shock (circulatory) #Shock wave #Transverse plane #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05188.x
published as Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 331 (2002) 323 · 11 pages, 6 figures, LaTeX. Accepted for publication in MNRAS
arxiv created 2002/01/10 · openalex publication_date 2002/03/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We discuss the circumstances under which the bending of a jet can generate an internal shock wave. The analysis is carried out for relativistic and non-relativistic astrophysical jets. The calculations are carried out by using the method of characteristics for the case of steady simple waves. This generalizes the non-relativistic treatment first used by Icke in 1991. We show that it is possible to obtain an upper limit to the bending angle of a jet in order not to create a shock wave at the end of the curvature. This limiting angle has a value of ∼75° for non-relativistic jets with a polytropic index <it>κ</it>=4/3, ∼135° for non-relativistic jets with <it>κ</it>=5/3 and ∼50° for relativistic jets with <it>κ</it>=5/3. We also discuss under which circumstances jets will form internal shock waves for smaller deflection angles.