The refraction of a plane shock wave at a gas interface

Abstract

The paper deals with the refraction of a plane shock wave by an interface between two different gases. It is shown that the equations of motion can be reduced to a single polynomial equation of degree 12. Detailed numerical results are presented for the air-CH4 and the air-CO2 interfaces, which are respectively ‘slowfast’ and ‘fast–slow’ combinations. When the results are compared with experiment good agreement is obtained. The numerical data are multi-valued, but it is found that it is always the weakest solution that agrees with the experimental data. The multiple roots of the equation are often found to be associated with the appearance of degenerate and irregular wave systems and some attempt is made to analyse and discuss these systems.