  We present in this paper a multigroup model for radiation hydrodynamics to
account for variations of the gas opacity as a function of frequency. The
entropy closure model (M1) is applied to multigroup radiation transfer in a
radiation hydrodynamics code. In difference from the previous grey model, we
are able to reproduce the crucial effects of frequency-variable gas opacities,
a situation omnipresent in physics and astrophysics. We also account for the
energy exchange between neighbouring groups which is important in flows with
strong velocity divergence. These terms were computed using a finite volume
method in the frequency domain. The radiative transfer aspect of the method was
first tested separately for global consistency (reversion to grey model) and
against a well established kinetic model through Marshak wave tests with
frequency dependent opacities. Very good agreement between the multigroup M1
and kinetic models was observed in all tests. The successful coupling of the
multigroup radiative transfer to the hydrodynamics was then confirmed through a
second series of tests. Finally, the model was linked to a database of
opacities for a Xe gas in order to simulate realistic multigroup radiative
shocks in Xe. The differences with the previous grey models are discussed.
