Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-dk7s8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-31T03:17:03.860Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Real-gas effects in very weak shock waves in the atmosphere and the structure of sonic bangs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2006

J. P. Hodgson  and
N. H. Johannesen
J. P. Hodgson
Affiliation:
Department of the Mechanics of Fluids, University of Manchester
N. H. Johannesen
Affiliation:
Department of the Mechanics of Fluids, University of Manchester
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An approximate expression is given for the thickness of weak fully dispersed shock waves. Using available data on the thermodynamic properties of air, it is shown that shocks of the strength expected in sonic bangs are fully dispersed. Estimated relaxation times for dry and humid air lead to wide variations in possible thickness, varying from millimetres to metres.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 50 , Issue 1 , 15 November 1971 , pp. 17 - 20
Copyright
© 1971 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Harris, C. M. 1963 Absorption of sound in air in the audio-frequency range. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 35, 11.Google Scholar
Henderson, M. C. & Herzfeld, K. F. 1965 Effect of water vapour on the Napier frequency of oxygen and air. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 37, 986.Google Scholar
Knudsen, V. O. 1933 The absorption of sound in air, in oxygen and in nitrogen—effects of humidity and temperature. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 5, 112.Google Scholar
Knudsen, V. O. 1935 The absorption of sound in gases. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 6, 199.Google Scholar
Lighthill, M. J. 1956 Viscosity effects in sound waves of finite amplitude. In Surveys in Mechanics (ed. Batchelor & Davies). Cambridge University Press.
Monk, R. G. 1969 Thermal relaxation in humid air. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 46, 580.Google Scholar
Piercy, J. E. 1969 Role of the vibrational relaxation of nitrogen in the absorption of sound in air. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 46, 602.Google Scholar
Tuesday, C. S. & Boudart, M. 1955 Vibrational relaxation times by the impact tube method. Princeton University Tech. Note no. 7.Google Scholar