Open AccessFormation of internal shock waves in bent jets
Author(s) -
Mendoza S.,
Longair M. S.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05188.x
Subject(s) - physics , polytropic process , astrophysical jet , shock wave , relativistic beaming , curvature , jet (fluid) , classical mechanics , relativistic particle , deflection (physics) , bent molecular geometry , polytrope , astrophysics , oblique shock , mechanics , active galactic nucleus , geometry , galaxy , quantum mechanics , mathematics , electron , chemistry , organic chemistry
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 κ =4/3 , ∼135° for non‐relativistic jets with κ =5/3 and ∼50° for relativistic jets with κ =5/3 . We also discuss under which circumstances jets will form internal shock waves for smaller deflection angles.