Abstract & Overview
In this paper a second-order theory for relativistic heat-conducting fluids is derived in the Eckart scheme, based on the assumption that the entropy 4-current should include quadratic terms in the heat flux. In the special case of ultrarelativistic fluids, the velocities of hydrodynamic and thermal weak discontinuity wave fronts are determined and, through the second-order compatibility conditions, the discontinuities associated to the waves and the transport equations for the amplitude of the discontinuities are found out. Finally, for heat wave, plane, cylindrical and spherical diverging waves are also investigated.