Relativistic fluid flows around cosmic strings

Journal Article · Mon Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.37.869· OSTI ID:5647889

Hiscock, W A; Lail, J B

The motion of a relativistic perfect fluid in the spacetime of a static, cylindrically symmetric, cosmic string is studied. The fluid equations are solved to first order in ..mu.., the mass per unit length of the string (..mu..approx. =10/sup -6/ for typical grand unified theories), for subsonic flow of a relativistic fluid with arbitrary equation of state past a cosmic string. As the adiabatic sound speed (partialp/partialrho)/sub s//sup 1/2/ is approached, a shock forms, orthogonal to the flow and containing the string. The formalism developed by Taub for treating shocks in relativistic perfect fluids is applied to supersonic flow past a cosmic string. The shock equations are then solved for weak shocks in a fluid with an arbitrary equation of state, and also in the (extreme) strong-shock limit for an arbitrary equation of state which approaches an ideal gas in its high-temperature limit. We find that strongly shocked fluid forms a dense, thin sheet behind the string, as expected. The density contrast across the shock remains small until the four-velocity of the string is at least of order ..mu../sup -1/ times the sound four-velocity.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717
• OSTI ID: 5647889
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. D; (United States) Vol. 37:4; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640106* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
645400 -- High Energy Physics-- Field Theory
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COMPOSITE MODELS
COSMOLOGY
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF STATE
EXTENDED PARTICLE MODEL
FIELD THEORIES
FLUID FLOW
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
GRAND UNIFIED THEORY
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICAL SPACE
MINKOWSKI SPACE
PARTICLE MODELS
QUARK MODEL
RELATIVITY THEORY
SHOCK WAVES
SPACE
SPACE-TIME
STRING MODELS
SUPERSONIC FLOW
UNIFIED GAUGE MODELS
UNIFIED-FIELD THEORIES
UNIVERSE