Collisionless Shocks
Collisionless shocks are a type of shock wave that occurs in a plasma, where the particles are not colliding with each other. These shocks are formed when a supersonic flow of plasma encounters an obstacle, such as a planet or a magnetic field. The shock wave is created by the interaction between the plasma and the obstacle, which causes the plasma to slow down and compress. As the plasma compresses, it heats up and magnetic fields are generated, which can accelerate particles to high energies. Collisionless shocks are important in many astrophysical phenomena, such as supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, and the solar wind interaction with the Earth's magnetosphere. They are also relevant for space propulsion, as they can be used to accelerate particles to high speeds.
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