Mechanism of shock train rapid motion induced by variation of attack angle

Abstract

Numerical simulation was conducted to study the effect of attack angle variation on the quasi-steady motion characteristics of shock train leading edge. Simulation results indicate the motion of shock train has jumping feature, which is mainly caused by the strength changing of the local flow separation. During the process of attack angle decreasing, the reflection points of background wave move downstream, and the one of which approaches the separation zone of shock train. Thus a rapid forward movement is induced by the increasing local adverse pressure gradients. In attack angle increasing case, shock train is not moving back continuously but can be temporarily stabilized at the front part of the reflection point, because of the local adverse pressure gradient that formed by background waves. Once the refection point moves forward and surmounts leading edge of shock train, the pressure boost from background wave to the separation zone is lost, and a suddenly backward jumping will occur.