On the structure of an inviscid shock wave

Abstract

The structure of one-dimensional shock waves is investigated using the Navier-Stokes equations for the gas phase. The resulting system of three ordinary nonlinear differential equations is reduced to a system of two autonomous nonlinear differential equations which are solved exactly. This solution is obtained formally by assuming that the heat conductivity is temperature dependent, and that the viscosity is neglected. A deduction of the behaviour of entropy across inviscid shock waves is also given.