Oblique Shock Interactions with Mach Number Distributions

Abstract

An equation governing the interaction of oblique shock waves with steady, continuous, spatial distributions of Mach number is derived from the Rankine-Hugoniot shock jump conditions. This equation essentially describes the shape an oblique shock assumes as it traverses a region of varying Mach number. Because the analysis also provides a flow solution downstream of the shock, it is seen as a particularly useful tool in the study of shock wave — mixing region interactions, a topic of current interest for shock induced ignition in scramjets. As a demonstration of this analysis, a published experiment involving an oblique shock in a mixing region is examined.