Hydrodynamical interaction between a shock wave and a cloud. One dimensional approach

The collision of a plane parallel shock wave with a plane parallel cloud of uniform density is analysed for the case in which magnetic fields and radi ative losses are not considered. General analytic solutions are discussed f or the case in which the density of the cloud is greater than that of the s urrounding environment. This problem generalises one of the classical probl ems in gas dynamics: the collision between a shock wave and a solid wall.