Reverse shock wave in relativistic explosions

The dynamical evolution of a relativistic explosion in a homogeneous medium is studied by means of a time-dependent, hydrodynamic code. When the expanding velocity of the shock front reduces to the sound velocity in the relativistic fluid, the reverse shock wave propagating inward through the expanding material is generated. The radius of the turning point of the reverse shock wave is proportional to the explosion energy and hardly depends on the mass of the explosion products. In the case of the non-relativistic explosion, the reverse shock wave is generated just after the free expansion stage. The radius of the turning point of the reverse shock wave is proportional to the mass of the explosion products and little depends on the explosion energy. In both cases of the non-relativistic and relativistic explosion, the reverse shock wave is strong in a spherical explosion and weak in a cylindrical one. The plane symmetric explosion does not generate the reverse shock wave.