Equilibrium Thermodynamic Properties Behind Strong Shocks in Helium

Abstract

Summary Tables of equilibrium thermodynamic properties of the ionized gas formed behind strong shock waves in Helium are presented, in the Mach number range 10 to 30, for initial pressures of 0-1, 0-5, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 torr. The effect of the inclusion of the full partition function series is demonstrated in the Mach number range 20 to 30. A numerical solution has been developed such that the only experimental quantities required for its use are the shock Mach number and the pre-shock conditions.