Switching between symmetric and asymmetric separation-induced shock reflections in an oscillatory duct flow

Abstract

Separation-induced shock reflections in straight ducts are generally considered asymmetric for Mach numbers beyond 2.2, but our experiment shows that this is not always the case. A symmetric shock pattern, a proven outcome of following the free-interaction theory (FIT), is observed to appear in an oscillatory duct flow at a Mach number of 2.47. Interestingly, its existence is restricted to the period when the shocks move forward. Once a full retreat starts, it changes suddenly into an utterly asymmetric style that conforms to the past observation. This behavior indicates that the FIT fundamentally plays a limited role in supersonic duct flows.