Generation of axisymmetric magnetosonic shock waves: applications to static equilibria and accretion disks

Abstract

Magnetosonic waves traveling in a MHD equilibrium may evolve into shocks. We develop a criterion for the creation of fast shocks in the equatorial plane of axisymmetric equilibria and analyze the influence of the most important parameters. The results are applied to Grad-Shafranov equilibria and accretion disks.