Abstract
A stable rarefaction front in radiative plasmas is found. The front propagation corresponds to the transition between two stable equilibria when the radiative loss function has two separated peaks. This is possible because radiative losses significantly change the sound speed. The effective sound speed in the hot plasma ahead of the front may be smaller than the sound speed in the cool plasma behind the front. Thus, the front satisfies the Landau stability criterion. Radiative plasmas are open systems, and the entropy production may be positive as well as negative.