Gravitational collapse of gas clouds with spherical, cylindrical or plane symmetry in the linear wave flow approximation (Q1057730)

Studying the gravitational collapse under the linear wave flow hypothesis and applying the \textit{G. C. McVittie} method [Astron. J. 61, 451 ff. (1956)], the equations of gas dynamics are quasi-analytically solved. The gas clouds with spherical, cylindrical and plane symmetry are considered and the final state of collapsing clouds is assumed a hydrostatic equilibrium state, determined by complete polytropes. The solutions are given in terms of the solutions of the generalized Emden equation. For the plane case the numerical solutions of the Emden equation are tabulated. The amplification with time of gas parameters (density, pressure, temperature) strongly depends on the symmetry. While in the central regions of collapsing clouds the flow remains subsonic, towards the boundary it becomes strongly supersonic and the generation of shock waves there is very likely.