Diffraction of shock waves by a moving thin wing

Abstract

An analytical solution is obtained for the flow field due to the impinging of a plane shock wave of arbitrary strength by a thin wing moving in the opposite direction. The planform and the thickness distribution of the wing can be arbitrary and the speed of the wing can be either supersonic or subsonic relative to the undisturbed stream ahead of the shock or to that behind the shock. The solution is a generalization of the previous solution of Ting & Ludloff for the diffraction of shock wave by a two-dimensional stationary airfoil to a three-dimensional wing moving with supersonic or subsonic speed relative to the stream ahead of or behind the shock. The solution is employed for the analysis of the changes in aerodynamic forces when an airplane encounters a blast wave or a shock wave of another airplane. It is also used to study the diffraction of a shock wave or anN-wave advancing over flat terrains.