Nonstationary oblique shock-wave reflections: Actual isopycnics and numerical experiments

Oblique shock-wave reflections in nitrogen for perfect and imperfect gases were investigated interferometrically in a 10- ൷; 18-cm shock tube. Comparisons are made with numerical experiments conducted by two different groups on regular and single-Mach reflections. Even though the analyses are for inviscid flows, the sidewall boundary-layer effects in the experiments are negligible, and the features of the calculated and actual inviscid flows are compared readily. It is found that the available numerical techniques will have to be modified or new approaches developed before acceptable agreement can be obtained between actual and numerical experiments. The very accurate interferometric data will provide a basis for comparison with future numerical methods, which also should include the two remaining cases of complex- and double-Mach reflections as a test of their accuracy and applicability.