Magnetohydrodynamic shock (MHD shock)

A magnetohydrodynamic shock is a discontinuity satisfying conservation of mass, momentum, energy, normal magnetic field, and tangential electric field.

For a planar magnetohydrodynamic shock with normal velocity and tangential magnetic field, mass conservation gives $\rho u=m$ and the ideal magnetohydrodynamic induction equation gives $uB$ constant across the front. Hence $B/\rho$ is unchanged, expressing magnetic flux freezing. Normal momentum flux is $\rho u^2+p+B^2/(2{\mu }_0)$, and energy flux per unit mass flux is $u^2/2+\gamma p/[(\gamma -1)\rho ]+B^2/({\mu }_0\rho )$, apart from a smooth common gravitational potential. The amplified tangential field contributes both magnetic pressure and magnetic energy transport.

Put $c_1^2=\gamma p_1/{\rho }_1$ and $v_{A1}^2=B_1^2/({\mu }_0{\rho }_1)$. The mass, momentum and energy jump conditions for a perpendicular magnetohydrodynamic shock factor into the unchanged state $x=1$ andFor the compressive physical branch $x>1$, positive downstream pressure implies $x<(\gamma +1)/(\gamma -1)$ when $\gamma >1$ and the upstream sound speed or Alfvén speed is nonzero. Indeed the polynomial impliesIt then gives $u_1^2>c_1^2+v_{A1}^2$: the upstream flow exceeds the perpendicular fast magnetosonic wave speed. The exactly cold unmagnetized strong-shock limit reaches the upper compression bound.

In a planar magnetohydrodynamic shock with both velocity and magnetic field normal to the front, the normal magnetic field is continuous. Its normal Maxwell stress tensor contribution is consequently the same on both sides, and the Poynting vector vanishes because $\mathbf{u}\times \mathbf{B}=0$. The remaining jump conditions are the ordinary Rankine-Hugoniot conditions for a perfect gas. This is the purely parallel branch; an oblique or switch-on shock has additional transverse fields and is not covered by this reduction.

The ideal magnetohydrodynamic shock conditions are the Rankine-Hugoniot jump conditions for mass, momentum, energy, and magnetic flux. For a dynamically weak magnetic field, the normal field is continuous while the tangential field is multiplied by the gas compression ratio.

The de Hoffmann-Teller frame is a tangentially boosted shock frame in which the electric field vanishes. Ideal MHD then makes the fluid velocity parallel to the magnetic field on both sides.

A rotational discontinuity changes the tangential direction of the magnetic field and velocity while leaving density, pressure, and normal components continuous. The normal flow is Alfvénic.