Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics Astrophys.

Fluid Dyn.

Lecture #3:Sound waves and shock waves

2021 / 2022

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Dr. AHMANE Zoubida

1
Dept. of physics,
Univ. of Hadj Lakhdar Batna 1,
Batna (05), Algeria.
Symphony of stars: The science of stellar
sound waves
Introduction
Waves are everywhere. Everyone is familiar with wave at surface of water in the sea, air wave
that we commonly call sound. A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a
medium from one location to another location. They can transport energy and momentum. In
your high school you’ve learned simplest sinusoidal wave equation depending on time
x(t) = A sin(ωt + φ) where x position, ω pulsation φ phase constant. Now consider travelling
disturbances, waves, on top of unperturbed medium. Waves can be divided on three main
categories:
*Linear wave
in which the disturbances are very small from equilibrium, so that the difference is |∇ρ| << ρ0
. Because of superposition principle a series of normal can be add to each other to
describe the system. so we can linearise the equations of motion. It could happen that one or
more normal modes is growing exponentially in time it will eventually grow enough to disrupt
the system and the disturbances travelled is called unstable. We will see in next chapter the
topic of instabilities
*Non-Linear wave
This case in more complicated because one attempt to follow perturbation of finite amplitude.
The superposition principle is now more applicable. and no analytical solution exist as the
problem is more difficult mathematically.
*Shock wave
A shock wave is a type of highly non linear propagating disturbance characterised by an
abrupt, discontinuous change in one or more of the fluid quantities.Shock waves are easy to
excite when the flow velocity is supersonic, which is often the case in astrophysics. They are
therefore very common in astrophysics.
In this lecture we will discuss small perturbation linear wave and shock wave in next lecture
we will discuss unstable wave instabilities.

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Wave in nature
Credit: NSO/AURA/NSF
Heliosphere
Water wave
Tsunami

Rossby wave ,dans une corde

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Perturbation in Lagrangian Eulerian frame work
Perturbations are said to be linear when their amplitudes is very small compared to
unperturbed background medium.
P 0 (r, t) − P (r) ≡ δP << P (r)
In linear theory, the equations for the δ amplitude is determined by replacing all flow
quantities such as pressure and density X by X + δX, and then ignoring all the terms of order
quadratic or higher in the δ amplitudes keeping thus, linear terms in the resulting equations
this what give linear theory its name.
Small disturbances can be be described in more than one way. The above equation for δP is
known as an Eulerian perturbation, which is the difference between the equilibrium and altered
value of a fluid quantity at a fixed point in the background.
In Lagrangian theory, we focus not upon a fixed location r, but upon the displacement ξ of a
particular fluid element. In above case of the pressure disturbance, for example, how does the
pressure of a fluid element change when it is displaced from its equilibrium value r to r + ξThe
Lagrangian perturbation is

∆P ≡ P 0 (r + ξ, t) − P (r)
to linear order ξ,
∆P = P 0 (r, t) − P (r) + ξ · ∇P = δP + ξ · ∇P
This, in fact, defines the Lagrangian perturbation for any flow quantity. The Lagrangian
velocity perturbation is
Dξ ∂ξ
∆v ≡ = + (v · ∇)ξ = δv + (v · ∇)ξ
Dt ∂t
where v is any background velocity that is present. When the background velocity vanishes,
∂ξ
= δv = ∆v
∂t
Note that we have here used the widespread convention of using ∆ to represent Lagrangian
perturbations and δ to represent Eulerian perturbations, i.e. those that must be substituted
into the fluid equations.
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Sound wave
The equations of an adiabatic gas in one dimension are,
∂ρ ∂ρv
+ =0 (1)
∂t ∂x
∂v ∂v 1 ∂P
+v =− (2)
∂t ∂x ρ ∂x
DlogP ρ−γ
= cst (3)
Dt
We consider perturbations to this equilibrium,

P = P0 + δP (4)

ρ = ρ0 + δρ (5)
v = δv (6)
Substituting in the fluid equations, and keeping only first order perturbed quantities
(i.e. those prefixed by δ), we have:

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Sound wave
Our initial state will be the simplest possible: P and ρ both constant, v = 0 we
introduce Eulerian linear perturbations to all flow variables. The linearized equations
become

∂ δρ ∂δv
+ =0 (7)
∂t ρ ∂x
∂δv 1 ∂δP
=− (8)
∂t ρ ∂x
δP δρ
=γ (9)
P ρ
Replacing δP in favour of δρ in the middle equation above gives,

∂δv ∂ δρ
= −c2s (10)
∂t ∂x ρ
where
P
c2s = γ
ρ

∂ 2 δv ∂ 2 δv
= c2s (11)
∂t2 ∂x2
which we recognise as a wave equation, whose solution is a plane wave The most
general solution to this equation is

δv ∝ exp(ikx−iωt) (12)

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Sound wave

∂ 2 δv 2
2 ∂ δv
= cs (13)
∂t2 ∂x2
which we recognise as a wave equation, whose solution is a plane wave The most
general solution to this equation is

δv ∝ exp(ikx−iωt) (14)
2π
where k is the wavevector, k = |k| = λ
, λ is wave length. ω = 2πν the angular
frequency, and ν the frequency.

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Chart for wave equation
General chart to handle wave equation that can be applied to other circumstances (see
also plasma wave):

3start by writing the fluid equation.

3substitute the perturbation and consider only the first order.
3write the equation in terms of one variable.
3substitute the solution δei(kx−ωt) and write dispersion relation between and k.
3discuss whether ω is real or imaginary define the oscillating solution, exponentially
decaying (damped) solution and exponentially growing (unstable) solution.

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Wave in stratified atmosphere

∂ρ ∂ρv
+ (15)
∂t ∂z
∂v ∂v 1 ∂P
+v =− −g (16)
∂t ∂z ρ ∂z
and the equilibrium is z
−H
v0 = 0, ρ0 (z) = ρ exp (17)
dξ
∇v = + v · ∇ξ (18)
dt
dξ
∆v = dt
The second can be derived from the quantinuity equation in Lagrangian frame

∂ρ
+ ρ∇ · v = 0 (19)
∂t
Over time ∆t, the reulting change in density of particular element can therfore be
related to ξ by
 
∂xi
δρ + ρ0 ∇ · ∆t = 0 (20)
∂t
and so we have
δρ + ρ0 ∇ · ξ = 0 (21)
∂δρ ∂ρ0 ∂ρ0 ∂δvz
− δvz + δvz + ρ0 =0 (22)
∂t ∂z ∂z ∂z
∂δρ ∂δvz
+ ρ0 =0 (23)
∂t ∂z
The same for the momentum equations,
 
∂δvz 1 ∂P0
=− P0 + δP − ξz (24)
∂t ρ0 + δP − ξz ∂ρ∂z
0 ∂z

ξ z ∂ 2 P0
 
∂δvz 1 ∂ρ0 ∂P0 1 ∂δP δρ ∂P0
= 2 δρ − ξz − + − 2 (25)
∂t ρ0 ∂z ∂z ρ0 ∂z ρ0 ∂z 2 ρ0 ∂z

∂δvz 1 ∂δP c2s

∂δρ
=− =− (26)
∂t ρ0 ∂z ρ0 ∂z
∂ 2 δρ
 
∂ ∂δvz
+ ρ0 (27)
∂t2 ∂z ∂t

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Wave in stratified atmosphere

∂ 2 δρ ∂ 2 δρ c2 ∂ρ0 ∂δρ
− c2s + =0 (28)
∂t2 ∂z 2 ρ0 ∂z ∂z
Substituting from we then finally obtain,

∂ 2 δρ ∂ 2 δρ c2 ∂δρ
− c2s + =0 (29)
∂t2 ∂z 2 H ∂z
This becomes the usual wave equation as H inf we now write and then find
ik
−ω 2 = −c2s k2 + c2s (30)
H
i.e.
 
ik
ω 2 = c2s k2 − (31)
H
This relation between the (angular) frequency ω and the wavenumber k is called the
dispersion relation. it’s quadratic which we solve for k(ω)

ik ω2
k2 −
− 2 (32)
H cs
s   2
i ω 1
k= ± − (33)
2H cs 2H
cs
Now if ω > 2H
, then
1
Im(k) = (34)
2H
s 
2  2
ω 1
Re(k) = ± − (35)
cs 2H
and so  v 2  2 
u
u
i
u
±t ω − 1 z−ωt
z cs 2H
δρ exp− 2H exp (36)
If we set Re(k) = K then the oscilatory part looks like the usual wave solution, where
in this case we have
 2  2
ω 1
K2 = − (37)
cs 2H

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Shock wave: supersonic flow Vs > Cs
Introduction
So fare we have consider the propagation of small amplitude perturbation

The cartoon from Courant and Friedrichs’ classic book (1948) on

supersonic flow illustrates the formation of a steep front in a discontinuous
medium, namely, a train of skiers. From Supersonic Flow and Shock Waves
by R Courant and K O Friedrichs (Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York,
1948).

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What are places where astrophysical shocks occurs ?
Bow shock at jets heads and knots along the jets.
Cloud-cloud collisions
HII regions expanding into neutral medium
Stellar wind encountering medium
Supernova or GRB blast wave (internal and external shocks)
Accretion onto compact objects: spherical or disk
Accretion onto hydrostatic intracluster medium

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Shock waves types
*Normal wave
*Oblique wave
*Curved wave

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Rankine-Hugoniot conditions
The usual conditions like conservation of matter momentum and energy have to apply
here, just as any fluid we start from continuity equation and momentum equation
∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ d
we now assumes steady state ∂t = 0, plane parallel, ∂z = ∂y = 0, ∂x = dx equations
above becomes,
In summary, we have Rankine-Hugonoit jump conditions for a plane parallel to shock:

ρ1 v1 = ρ2 v2 (38)

ρ1 v12 + P1 = ρ2 v22 + P2 (39)

1 2 P1 1 P2
v1 + e1 + = v22 + e2 + (40)
2 ρ1 2 ρ2
if ρ1 , v1 , P1 are known we have 3 eqs for 3 unknowns ρ2 , v2 , P2

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Mach cone

vt v
sin α = = half cone of Mach (41)
vs t vs

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Summary
Notes in waves
write Rankine-Hugonoit jump conditions considering adiabatic isothermal cases where we ap-
ply it in astrophysics.
idem for oblique chock
Explosion application Supernova small model

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