On shock reflection-diffraction in a van der Waals gas

TL;DR

This paper investigates shock reflection and diffraction in a van der Waals real gas, analyzing the effects on flow patterns and reflection criteria using asymptotic methods within the Euler system framework.

Contribution

It extends classical shock reflection analysis to real gases modeled by the van der Waals equation, exploring effects on flow features and reflection criteria.

Findings

Real gas effects influence shock reflection configurations.

Asymptotic analysis predicts flow properties in van der Waals gases.

Detachment criterion is affected by real gas behavior.

Abstract

The problem of a weak shock, reflected and diffracted by a wedge, is studied for the two-dimensional compressible Euler system. Some recent developments are overviewed and a perspective is presented within the context of a real gas, modeled by the van der Waals equation of state. The regular reflection configuration and the detachment criterion are studied in the light of real gas effects. Some basic features of the phenomenon and the nature of the self-similar flow pattern are explored using asymptotic expansions. The analysis presented here predicts several inviscid flow properties of the real gases undergoing shock reflection-diffraction phenomenon.