Shock Wave Reflection Phenomena (PDF)

The phenomenon of shock wave reflection was first reported by the distinguished philosopher Ernst Mach in 1878. Its study was then abandoned for a period of about 60 years until its investigation was initiated in the early 1940s by Professor John von Neumann and Professor Bleakney. Under their supervision, 15 years of intensive research related to various aspects of the reflection of shock waves in pseudo-steady flows were carried out. It was during this period that the four basic shock wave reflection configurations were discovered. Then, for a period of about 10 years from the mid 1950s until the mid 1960s, investigation of the reflection phenomenon of shock waves was kept on a low flame all over the world (e. g. Australia, Japan, Canada, U. S. A. , U. S. S. R. , etc. ) until Professor Bazhenova from the U. S. S. R. , Professor Irvine Glass from Canada, and Professor Roy Henderson from Australia re­ initiated the study of this and related phenomena. Under their scientific supervision and leadership, numerous findings related to this phenomenon were reported. Probably the most productive research group in the mid 1970s was that led by Professor Irvine Glass in the Institute of Aerospace Studies of the University of Toronto. In 1978, exactly 100 years after Ernst Mach first reported his discovery of the reflection phenomenon, I published my Ph. D. thesis in which, for the first time, analytical transition criteria between the various shock wave reflection configurations were established.