Context. The recent discovery of excited molecules in starburst galaxies observed with ALMA and the Herschel space telescope has highlighted the necessity to understand the relative contributions of radiative and mechanical energies in the formation of molecular lines and explore the conundrum of turbulent gas bred in the wake of galactic outflows. Aims. The goal of the paper is to present a detailed study of the propagation of low velocity (5 to 25 km s −1 ) stationary molecular shocks in environments illuminated by an external ultraviolet (UV) radiation field. In particular, we intend to show how the structure, dynamics, energetics, and chemical properties of shocks are modified by UV photons and to estimate how efficiently shocks can produce line emission. Methods. We implemented several key physico-chemical processes in the Paris-Durham shock code to improve the treatment of the radiative transfer and its impact on dust and gas particles. We propose a new integration algorithm to find the steady-state solutions of magnetohydrodynamics equations in a range of parameters in which the fluid evolves from a supersonic to a subsonic regime. We explored the resulting code over a wide range of physical conditions, which encompass diffuse interstellar clouds and hot and dense photon-dominated regions (PDR). Results. We find that C-type shock conditions cease to exist as soon as G 0 > 0.2 (n H / cm −3 ) 1/2 . Such conditions trigger the emergence of another category of stationary solutions, called C*-type and CJ-type shocks, in which the shocked gas is momentarily subsonic along its trajectory. These solutions are shown to be unique for a given set of physical conditions and correspond to dissipative structures in which the gas is heated up to temperatures comprised between those found in C-type and adiabatic J-type shocks. High temperatures combined with the ambient UV field favour the production or excitation of a few molecular species to the detriment of others, hence leading to specific spectroscopic tracers such as rovibrational lines of H 2 and rotational lines of CH + . Unexpectedly, the rotational lines of CH + may carry as much as several percent of the shock kinetic energy. Conclusions. Ultraviolet photons are found to strongly modify the way the mechanical energy of interstellar shocks is processed and radiated away. In spite of what intuition dictates, a strong external UV radiation field boosts the efficiency of low velocity interstellar shocks in the production of several molecular lines which become evident tracers of turbulent dissipation.

In the two decades since the first extra‐solar planet was discovered, the detection and characterization of extra‐solar planets has become one of the key endeavours in all of modern science. Recently, direct detection techniques such as interferometry or coronagraphy have received growing attention because they reveal the population of exoplanets inaccessible to Doppler or transit techniques, and moreover they allow the faint signal from the planet itself to be investigated. Next‐generation stellar interferometers are increasingly incorporating photonic technologies due to the increase in fidelity of the data generated. Here, we report the design, construction and commissioning of a new high‐contrast imager, the integrated pupil‐remapping interferometer, an instrument we expect will find application in the detection of young faint companions in the nearest star‐forming regions. The laboratory characterization of the instrument demonstrated high‐visibility fringes on all interferometer baselines in addition to stable closure phase signals. We also report the first successful on‐sky experiments with the prototype instrument at the 3.9‐m Anglo‐Australian Telescope. Performance metrics recovered were consistent with ideal device behaviour after accounting for expected levels of decoherence and signal loss from the uncompensated seeing. The prospect of complete Fourier coverage coupled with the current performance metrics means that this photonically enhanced instrument is well positioned to contribute to the science of high‐contrast companions.