The thermal nature of the triple point of a Mach reflection

Abstract

An experimental investigation followed by some theoretical considerations suggests that the triple point of a three-shock confluence behaves as a ‘‘hot spot.’’ Numerical calculations using the hull code, which was developed by the U. S. Air Force Weapons Laboratory (National Technical Information Service Document No. ADB 014070/LP) and modified by S-Cubed [Shock Waves and Shock Tubes (Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA 1986), pp. 407–413] have provided supporting evidence for hot spot behavior near the triple point. Furthermore, the numerical calculations also show a spike in the internal energy, the pressure, and the density near the triple point.

Effects of Mach Number on Non-Rankine–Hugoniot Shock Zone of Mach Reflection

“…According to Ben-Dor et al [14], a pressure hot spot exists in the triple-shock intersection of the Mach reflection (Fig. 9a), and the experimental data and numerical simulations supported this statement.…”

“…Furthermore, the triple point and its viscous vicinity have been investigated. Ben-Dor et al [14] illuminated the hot spots of the flow parameters in the region of the triple point instead of the inviscid theoretical solutions of Ref. [3].…”

Viscous effects in Mach reflection of shock waves and passage to the inviscid limit

“…As was noted above, similar deviations from the three-shock solution were also obtained in inviscid computations by Ben-Dor et al. (1987), where they were caused by numerical viscosity inevitably present in shock-capturing schemes. In the present study, the deviations from the inviscid solution are caused by the sole influence of physical viscosity because the effects of numerical viscosity on the solution are made negligible by using sufficiently fine meshes resolving the internal structure of the shock waves.…”

“…2019). Similar deviations from the theoretical solution were also reported by Ben-Dor, Takayama & Needham (1987), who solved the Euler equations with a shock-capturing scheme in order to study unsteady reflection of the shock wave from a wedge. However, the deviations in Ben-Dor et al.…”

“…However, the deviations in Ben-Dor et al. (1987) were induced not by physical viscosity but by numerical dissipation inherent in any shock-capturing scheme.…”