Cosmic Ray Hydrodynamics at Shock Fronts

Abstract

When a magnetised, thermal plasma containing a shock wave efficiently accelerates Cosmic Rays (CR) a reaction is exerted on the fluid structure. The simplest description of this process involves three conservation equations for the background fluid, with the CR pressure gradient included as an extra force, plus a hydrodynamic equation for the CR energy density. Since the CR spectrum is not determined in this approach two quantities are introduced, the ratio of CR pressure to energy density and a mean diffusion coefficient, that must be specified to close the system of equations. Physical arguments are presented for how these quantities should evolve and then compared with time dependent numerical solutions of acceleration at a plane parallel, piston driven shock.