A new, detailed calculation is presented of the nonequilibrium radiative cooling of an optically thin low-density (n < lO cm-3) interstellar gas which is suddenly shock-heated to 106 K and cools to 1O K. Results include the ionization structure, radiative energy-loss, and X-ray spectrum from 0.5 to 70 A for the cooling gas under a variety of initial conditions. It is found that the initial condition of the gas is unimportant only if the gas is preionized. These results are relevant to the diffuse galactic soft X-ray background at 0.25 keV, the observation by Copernicus of interstellar 0 vi, and studies of the late radiative phase of supernova remnants. Subject headings: interstellar: matter - nebulae: supernova remnants - X-rays: general
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Shapiro et al. (1976) studied this question.