On the global behaviour of sonic waves of arbitrary shape in gas flows with vibrational relaxation

In: Bulletin de la Classe des Sciences de l'Académie Royale de Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Band 66, Heft 1, S. 256-264

Abstract

The propagation of sonic discontinuities of arbitrary shape has been studied in a 3-dimensional gas flow with vibrational relaxation. The law of propagation is determined and the problem of growth and decay of waves has been solved. The effects of the wave geometry and that of vibrational relaxation on the global behaviour of the wave amplitude have been studied. It is found that the vibrational relaxation has a stabilizing effect on the wave in the sense that either it disallows or delays the shock formation. The two cases of diverging and converging waves have been discussed separately.