Calculation of shock waves in supersonic blunt-body flow

Abstract

The prediction of bow shock waves in front of axisymmetric blunt nosed bodies in supersonic flow is treated. The method involves generalizing the potential flow stream function for flow about a sphere to handle arbitrary body shapes, and superimposing a shock wave on this flow field by matching shock wave deflection angles with stream line deflection angles. The shock waves thus predicted are compared with other approximate solutions and the exact numerical solution of Van Dyke.· The method is conceptually simple and direct, although it does require computer solution.