Intro to Applications of Shock-Expansion Theory - Lesson 1

Most supersonic flows contain shock waves or expansion waves or both. In fact, these waves seldom occur independently. As can be seen in image below, shockwaves are created at concave corners and expansion waves at convex corners. We often see scenarios where waves from the same or different families interact with each other, creating a complex flow-field. Furthermore, these waves can also interact with the surroundings, such as a solid object, and depending on multiple factors they can either reflect or get canceled.

In this course, we will try and obtain a deeper understanding of the physics of wave interactions. In addition to this, we will also explore the applications of shock-expansion theory using some classic supersonic problems. Finally, we will expand on our understanding of stationary waves to study the dynamics of transient waves.

Alternate video link.

Here are the accompanying handout slides for this lesson.