The Role of Shocks in the Extended Emission Line Regions of Powerful Radio Galaxies

A detailed optical spectroscopic study of the extended line-emitting gas in a sample of powerful radio galaxies has revealed clear evidence that fast shocks have a major impact on the state of the warm gas along the radio axes of the host galaxies. The effects of the shocks on the morphology, kinematics, physical conditions and ionization of the extended gas are outlined below. We also consider the likely implications for radio galaxies in general.