H2O in interstellar shock waves

In the case of shocks that are propagating into mainly molecular gas, the emission occurs principally in lines of the species H_2_, H, O, CO and H_2_O. The relative intensities of these emission lines are indicative of the type and speed of the shock wave and of the physical conditions in the ambient gas.

We present the results of computations of the intensities of these lines, for small grids of models of C- and J-type shock waves, and compare with the results of previous calculations. Our results should serve to aid the interpretation of observations made with the Herschel and other satellites.