  Radiative shocks are found in various astrophysical objects and particularly
at different stages of stellar evolution. Studying radiative shocks, their
topology, and thermodynamical properties is therefore a starting point to
understanding their physical properties. This study has become possible with
the development of large laser facilities, which has provided fresh impulse to
laboratory astrophysics. We present the main characteristics of radiative
shocks modeled using cylindrical simulations. We focus our discussion on the
importance of multi-dimensional radiative-transfer effects on the shock
topology and dynamics. We present results obtained with our code HERACLES for
conditions corresponding to experiments already performed on laser
installations. The multi-dimensional hydrodynamic code HERACLES is specially
adapted to laboratory astrophysics experiments and to astrophysical situations
where radiation and hydrodynamics are coupled. The importance of the ratio of
the photon mean free path to the transverse extension of the shock is
emphasized. We present how it is possible to achieve the stationary limit of
these shocks in the laboratory and analyze the angular distribution of the
radiative flux that may emerge from the walls of the shock tube. Implications
of these studies for stellar accretion shocks are presented.
