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Issue A&A Volume 408, Number 3, September IV 2003 Page(s) 813 - 816 Section Cosmology DOI 10.1051/0004-6361:20030993

A&A 408, 813-816 (2003)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20030993

The thermal stability of mass-loaded flows

J. M. Pittard, T. W. Hartquist and I. Ashmore

Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
(Received 15 May 2003 / Accepted 23 June 2003 )

Abstract
We present a linear stability analysis of a flow undergoing conductively-driven mass-loading from embedded clouds. We find that mass-loading damps isobaric and isentropic perturbations, and in this regard is similar to the effect of thermal conduction, but is much more pronounced where many embedded clumps exist. The stabilizing influence of mass-loading is wavelength independent against isobaric (condensing) perturbations, but wavelength dependent against isentropic (wave-like) perturbations. We derive equations for the degree of mass-loading needed to stabilize such perturbations. We have also made 1D numerical simulations of a mass-loaded radiative shock and demonstrated the damping of the overstability when mass-loading is rapid enough.

Key words: shock waves -- instabilities -- hydrodynamics -- ISM: kinematics and dynamics -- stars: winds, outflows

Offprint request: J. M. Pittard, jmp@ast.leeds.ac.uk

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