Thin-layer version of the moment equations in the boundary layer problem

Abstract

The two dimensional problem of a hypersonic kinetic boundary layer developing on a thin body in the case of a monatomic gas is considered. The model of the flow arises from the kinetic theory of gases and, within its accuracy, i.e., in the approximation of a hypersonic boundary layer, takes into account the strong nonequilibrium of the flow with respect to translational degrees of freedom. A method for representing the solution of the problem in terms of the solution of a similar classical (Navier-Stokes) hypersonic boundary layer problem is described. For the kinetic version of the prob lem, it is shown that the shear stress and the specific heat flux on the body surface are equal to their counterparts in the Navier-Stokes boundary layer.