SIMULATIONS OF BIFURCATION PROCESSES OF REFLECTED-SHOCK WAVES IN IONIZING ARGON IN A SHOCK-TUBE

A finite-difference procedure, which numerically solves the thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations with ionization reactions, has been developed to predict ionizing nonequilibrium flows generated by strong shock waves. By using the procedure, simulations were carried out for bifurcated reflected-shock waves in ionizing argon in a shock tube. Results are shown for the reflection process of an ionizing shock moving at Mach No. 14 in argon at 400 Pa and 298 K. Computed flowfields are compared with snap-shot shadowgraphs for reflected-shock waves in ionizing argon. Qualitative agreement between the simulations and the experiments is excellent.