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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 March 2009
The stability of the MHD equations describing the mutual interaction of cosmic rays, thermal plasma, magnetic field and Alfvén waves used in cosmic-ray-shock acceleration theory (e.g. McKenzie & Völk 1982) is analysed for linear compressive instabilities. It is found that the inclusion of wave effects implies that the forward propagating sub-Alfvénic mode is unstable on wavelength scales greater than 1 parsec. The role of the instability in astrophysical models is considered.