Current Diffusion in a Shock Tube with Varying Magnetic Field

Abstract

The electric current-diffusion layer near the current sheet in a magnetic shock tube is analysed by extending Falk and Turcotte’s method to the case in which the driving magnetic field varies with time. Some numerical results for the temperature, velocity, density, pressure and magnetic field are presented in terms of similarity variable when the driving magnetic field varies as a power of time. The results show that the back end of the flowing gas is displaced from its infinite conductivity position by introducing the thermal and electrical conductivities, and the temperature at the back end of the gas becomes finite, the value of which depends on the ratio of thermal to electrical diffusion parameter specified by ν.