On the persistence of regular reflection

Abstract

It is well accepted that the persistence of regular reflection of a shock wave off a wedge beyond the ideal theoretical prediction is due to viscous and thermal boundary layers induced behind the reflection point. Experiments have been done by reflecting two shock waves of equal strength off each other so that the plane of symmetry between them becomes an ideal inviscid and adiabatic reflection plane thereby experimentally mimicking the assumptions of the theory. There is one definitive experiment done at a wall angle of 40° using a bifurcated shock tube that indicates that the actual transition angle is the theoretical detachment condition. This paper extends these results to two cases near limiting conditions; one at a very low incidence shock Mach number and one at a wall angle very close to the theoretical transition limit. The first confirms the reasons for the von Neumann Paradox but cannot discriminate between sonic and detachment conditions, but is within about 0.5% of them, and the second shows transition much closer to the sonic than the detachment condition but with both within the experimental error bounds. In both cases, the results are notably different from transition conditions off a wedge and confirm the effects of transport properties being the cause of persistence of regular reflection.