Passage of a Shock Wave Through a Continuous Interface Separating Gases of Different Densities

Abstract

An experimental study of the evolution of a thick layer separating gases of different densities (continuous interface) after the interaction with a shock wave has been carried out. The experiments have been carried out in a shock tube. The shock wave was passing from one inert gas into the other. The evolution of the process has been studied by interferometry. The growth rate of the amplitude a k of the surfaces separating a continuous interface between two pure gases after the passage of the incident and first reflected shock waves has been determined. The experimental data for a k have been compared to the values calculated using a simple model proposed by Brouillette and Sturtevant (1990).