Mach reflection
Mach reflection is supersonic fluid dynamics effect, named for Ernst Mach, and involves the reflection of shock waves.
Mach reflection can exist in both unsteady or pseudosteady flow, as well as in steady flow. When a shock wave propagates over a solid wedge, the flow generated by the shock impinges on the wedge thus generating a second reflected shock, which ensures that the velocity of the flow is parallel to the wedge surface. Viewed in the frame of the reflection point, this flow is locally steady, and the configuration is referred to as a pseudosteady flow. When the angle between the wedge and the primary shock is sufficiently large, a single reflected shock is not able to turn the flow to a direction parallel to the wall and transition to Mach reflection occurs.[1]
In a steady flow situation, if a wedge is placed into a steady supersonic flow in such a way that its oblique attached shock impinges on a flat wall parallel to the free stream, the shock turns the flow toward the wall and a reflected shock is required to turn the flow back to a direction parallel to the wall. When the shock angle exceeds a certain value, the deflection achievable by a single reflected shock is insufficient to turn the flow back to a direction parallel to the wall and transition to Mach reflection is observed.[2]
References
- ^ "Transition between Regular Reflection and Mach Reflection in the Dual-Solution Domain" (PDF). 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|title=at position 58 (help) - ^ "Transition between Regular Reflection and Mach Reflection in the Dual-Solution Domain" (PDF). 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|title=at position 58 (help)
External links
- The discovery of the Mach reflection effect and its demonstration in an auditorium
- Google Scholar search
 | This physics-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |