We present numerical solutions of a two-dimensional Riemann problem for the unsteady transonic small disturbance equations that provides an asymptotic description of the Mach reflection of weak shock waves. We develop a new numerical scheme to solve the equations in selfsimilar coordinates and use local grid refinement to resolve the solution in the reflection region. The solutions contain a remarkably complex structure: there is a sequence of triple points and tiny supersonic patches immediately behind the leading triple point that is formed by the reflection of weak shocks and expansion waves between the sonic line and the Mach shock. An expansion fan originates at each triple point, thus resolving the von Neumann paradox of weak shock reflection. These numerical solutions raise the question of whether there is an infinite sequence of triple points in an inviscid weak shock Mach reflection.

We present numerical solutions of a two-dimensional Riemann problem for the compressible Euler equations that describes the Mach reflection of weak shock waves. High resolution finite volume schemes are used to solve the equations formulated in self-similar variables. We use extreme local grid refinement to resolve the solution in the neighborhood of an apparent but mathematically inadmissible shock triple point. The solutions contain a complex structure: instead of three shocks meeting in a single standard triple point, there is a sequence of triple points and tiny supersonic patches behind the leading triple point, formed by the reflection of weak shocks and expansion waves between the sonic line and the Mach shock. An expansion fan originates at each triple point, resolving the von Neumann triple point paradox.

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We present numerical solutions of a two-dimensional Riemann problem for the nonlinear wave system which is used to describe the Mach reflection of weak shock waves. Robust low order as well as high resolution finite volume schemes are employed to solve this equation formulated in self-similar variables. These, together with extreme local grid refinement, are used to resolve the solution in the neighborhood of an apparent but mathematically inadmissible shock triple point. Rather than observing three shocks meeting in a single standard triple point, we are able to detect a primary triple point containing an additional wave, a centered expansion fan, together with a sequence of secondary triple points and tiny supersonic patches embedded within the subsonic region directly behind the Mach stem. An expansion fan originates at each triple point. It is our opinion that the structure observed here resolves the von Neumann triple point paradox for the nonlinear wave system. These solutions closely resemble the solutions obtained in [A. M. Tesdall and J. K. Hunter, SIAM J. Appl. Math., 63 (2002), pp. 42-61] for the unsteady transonic small disturbance equation.

We formulate a problem for the unsteady transonic small disturbance equations which describes a situation analogous to the reflection of a weak shock off a wedge, with the incident shock replaced by an incident rarefaction. We linearize this problem and solve it exactly, and we compute a numerical solution of the full nonlinear problem. The solution of this problem has several features in common with the solution of the weak shock reflection problem, known as Guderley Mach reflection. In both cases, a rarefaction wave reflects off a sonic line and forms a transonic shock. There is transonic coupling between the supersonic and subsonic regions across the sonic line and shock. In both situations, this sonic line/shock can be considered a free boundary in the formulation of a new type of free boundary problem which has not previously been formulated or analyzed. The free boundary problem that arises in the context of the problem considered here is, however, simpler than the free boundary problem that arises in the weak shock reflection problem.