Mach Reflection Flow Fields Associated with Strong Shocks.

The Mach reflection associated with the passage of a shock wave over a wedge is treated in the limit of an ideal gas and a strong shock. In this limit, flow properties are functions only of wedge angle theta and the ratio of specific heats gamma. Numerical results are presented for gamma 97, 75, and 53. Wedge angles are noted at which the transition from regular to double-Mach, to complex-Mach, and to simple-Mach reflection occurs. Characteristic velocities in the recirculation region associated with Mach reflection are estimated. Local surface pressure maxima, at the upstream and downstream edge of the recirculation region, are also estimated. The scale of the recirculation region increases with decrease in gamma, in accord with experimental observations. The wedge solution is used on a piecewise basis to estimate height-of-burst HOB flow fields. Normalized results are presented for HOB triple-point trajectory and surface pressure variation with range. The present results provide a convenient characterization of Mach reflection flow fields associated with both wedge and HOB flows. Validation of the HOB solution, however, is needed.