Shock Reflections and Intersections

Abstract

This chapter is dedicated to the shock wave reflections and intersections. Each topic offers a pictorial representation of the physical and shock polar plane for a better understanding of the shock wave reflections and intersections. This chapter contains an introduction to the shock-shock interference under the various real-life examples of the intersection of different and same family shock waves in a solid boundary, wave reflections from the free boundary, Mach reflections (lambda shock wave), intersection of shock from different or opposite families (Type I Interference), intersection of intense shocks of opposite families forms normal shock (Type II Interference), intersection of strong and weak oblique shocks of different families (Type III Interference), intersection of normal shock with oblique shock (Type IV Interference), intersection of weak oblique shock with intense shock (Type V Interference), intersection of the weak shock of same families (Type VI Interference).