Zank, Gary P.Oughton, SeanNeubauer, F. M.Webb, G. M.2014-04-042014-04-041991-101991Zank, G. P., Oughton, S., Neubauer, F. M., & Webb, G. M. (1991). Mass-loading and parallel magnetized shocks. Geophysical Research Letter, 18(10), 1809-1812.https://hdl.handle.net/10289/8624Recent observations at comets Giacobini-Zinner and Halley suggest that simple non-reacting gas dynamics or MHD is an inappropriate description for the bow shock. The thickness of the observed (sub)shock implies that mass-loading is an important dynamical process within the shock itself, thereby requiring that the Rankine-Hugoniot conditions possess source terms. This leads to shocks with properties similar to those of combustion shocks. We consider parallel magnetized shocks subjected to mass-loading, describe some properties which distinguish them from classical MHD parallel shocks, and establish the existence of a new kind of MHD compound shock. These results will be of importance both to observations and numerical simulations of the comet-solar wind interaction.application/pdfen©1991 the American Geophysical Union.MHDJournal Article10.1029/91gl02242