A nonlinear theory of stellar wind with allowance for the influence of relativistic particles

We solve the nonlinear problem of the dynamics of a steady-state, spherically symmetric stellar wind by taking into account particle acceleration to relativistic energies near the shock front. The particles are assumed to be accelerated through the Fermi mechanism, interacting with stellar-wind turbulence and crossing many times the shock front that separates the supersonic and subsonic stellar-wind regions. We take into account the influence of the accelerated particles on hydrodynamic plasma-flow parameters. Our method allows all hydrodynamic parameters of the shock front and plasma in the supersonic region to be determined in a self-consistent way and the accelerated-particle energy spectrum to be calculated. Our numerical and analytic calculations show that the plasma compression ratio at the shock front increases compared to the case where there are no relativistic particles and that the velocity profile in the supersonic region acquires a characteristic kink. The shape of the energy spectrum for the accelerated particles and their pressure near the front are essentially determined by the presumed dependence of the diffusion coefficient on particle energy, which, in turn, depends on the scale distribution of turbulent pulsations and other stellar-wind inhomogeneities.