Structure of disconnection shock waves in plasma

The structure of the front of disconnection shock waves in completely ionized plasma is investigated. In the case of nonmagnetized plasma, the shock wavefront at M$_1$>1 consists of a narrow isomagnetic discountinuity, followed by a broad (of the order of the magnetic - field diffusion length) region of Joule dissipation, in which the transverse component of the magnetic field declines from the initial value to zero. At sufficiently large values β=8πnT/ H$^{2}$≫1 the width of the shock wave front is determined again by the scale characteristic of electronic thermal conductivity. For magnetized plasma, the width of the front is of the order of. the characteristic length of electronic thermal conductivity. When M $^{2}$ $_1$ > 4/5, M$^{2}$ $_2$>4/5 an internal ionic shock wave arises in the structure of the front.