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When is it necessary to use a hyphen in writing a compound word?

I've searched the web and "English Language & Usage", but am having problems finding the answer to the following question:

Is it appropriate to use a hyphen for compound adjectives consisting of two adjectives having the same, how do I put it, "status"? That is, grammatically speaking, they could each stand on their own instead of the compound word. Thus, I'm not talking about words like "well-mannered", but rather words like "thermomechanical/thermo-mechanical" ("thermal" + "mechanical") or "magnetorheological/magneto-rheological" ("magnetic" + "rheological").

In short, is it "thermomechanical" or "thermo-mechanical"?

Thanks!

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andreasdr
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  • As mentioned above, I couldn't find the answer to this particular question in any general discussion of hyphen usage (such as the question you link to). That is what motivated me to post this one. – andreasdr Nov 29 '11 at 14:54
  • I answered a similar question here. That question was about prefixes, but the same rules should apply. Use your dictionary first and if it offers no help, revert to your style guide. – D Krueger Nov 29 '11 at 15:00
  • From a position of abysmal ignorance, I'd advocate doing so. A hyphen or two in magnetohydrodynamics wouldn't come amiss. – Brian Hooper Nov 29 '11 at 16:00

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