The interaction of a plane shock wave in air with concave profiles has been used in the past mainly to understand the nature of shock wave focusing. The current study examines the complex two-dimensional flow field resulting from the interaction of a plane shock wave entering a symmetrical cavity with curved walls. Of particular interest are the development of reflection patterns of the incident shock wave at the profile wall and the process of gas dynamic focus. These principal flow features are examined across a wide range of different reflector shapes. This includes a review of previously studied profiles such as cylindrical and parabolic, and also of a number of additional profiles, including compound profiles, where an inlet profile merging with that of the main cavity is shown to have major effects on the focusing mechanism and pressures. The various reflector shapes were specified by varying the shape of the profile and the depth-to-aperture ratio. The strength of the incident plane shock wave was limited between Mach numbers of 1.04 and 1.45. The principal flow features were established and examined experimentally using a variety of qualitative and quantitative flow visualization techniques, supplemented with numerical results. Time-resolved high-speed imaging was used to capture the interaction providing the unique ability to track the various transient flow features over the course of the interaction. The three primary factors that influence the maximum pressure amplification at focus, and the focus mechanism, are the incident shock strength, the depth-to-aperture ratio of the profile and an inlet profile leading into the main cavity, if present. An inlet profile results in higher-pressure amplifications for corresponding shock strengths and depth-to-aperture ratios. Increases in the depth-to-aperture ratio increase the maximum pressure amplification observed at focus. This occurs due to a combination of factors including: the strengthening of the individual shock waves involved in focus; the duration of focus; and the strengthening of a compressive flow field that develops adjacent to the shock system during focus. The compressive flow field adjacent to the shock system at focus is shown to be of great importance to the focus process.
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