Existence of multidimensional shock waves and phase boundaries

In this paper, a kind of Riemann problem for the Euler equations in a van der Waals fluid is considered. We constructed the weak solution in multidimensional space which contains one shock front and one subsonic phase boundary. We mainly follow the arguments of Majda's [A. Majda, The stability of multi-dimensional shock fronts, Mem. Amer. Math. Soc. 275 (1983) 1-95; A. Majda, The existence of multi-dimensional shock fronts, Mem. Amer. Math. Soc. 281 (1983) 1-93] and Métivier's [G. Métivier, Interaction de deux chocs pour un système de deux lois de conservation, en dimension deux d'espace, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 296 (1986) 431-479] work. The linear stability results are based on Majda's [A. Majda, The stability of multi-dimensional shock fronts, Mem. Amer. Math. Soc. 275 (1983) 1-95] work for the single shock front and Wang and Xin's [Y.-G. Wang, Z. Xin, Stability and existence of multidimensional subsonic phase transitions, Acta Math. Appl. Sin. 19 (2003) 529-558] work for the single phase boundary. The initial boundary value problem concerned in this paper is different from the boundary value problem for double shock fronts concerned in [G. Métivier, Interaction de deux chocs pour un système de deux lois de conservation, en dimension deux d'espace, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 296 (1986) 431-479], we slightly modified Métivier's frame work to establish the existence for the solution to the nonlinear problem.     

Mach configuration in pseudo-stationary compressible flow

This paper is devoted to studying the local structure of Mach reflection, which occurs in the problem of the shock front hitting a ramp. The compressible flow is described by the full unsteady Euler system of gas dynamics. Because of the special geometry, the motion of the fluid can be described by self-similar coordinates, so that the unsteady flow becomes a pseudo-stationary flow in this coordinate system. When the slope of the ramp is less than a critical value, the Mach reflection occurs. The wave configuration in Mach reflection is composed of three shock fronts and a slip line bearing contact discontinuity. The local existence of a flow field with such a configuration under some assumptions is proved in this paper. Our result confirms the reasonableness of the corresponding physical observations and numerical computations in Mach reflection.

In order to prove the result, we formulate the problem to a free boundary value problem of a pseudo-stationary Euler system. In this problem two unknown shock fronts are the free boundary, and the slip line is also an unknown curve inside the flow field. The proof contains some crucial ingredients. The slip line will be transformed to a fixed straight line by a generalized Lagrange transformation. The whole free boundary value problem will be decomposed to a fixed boundary value problem of the Euler system and a problem to updating the location of the shock front. The Euler system in the subsonic region is an elliptic-hyperbolic composite system, which will be decoupled to the elliptic part and the hyperbolic part at the level of principal parts. Then some sophisticated estimates and a suitable iterative scheme are established. The proof leads to the existence and stability of the local structure of Mach reflection.

     

Stability of transonic shocks for the full Euler system in supersonic flow past a wedge

We study the stability of transonic shocks in steady supersonic flow past a wedge. It is known that in generic case such a problem admits two possible locations of the shock front, connecting the flow ahead of it and behind it. They can be distinguished as supersonic–supersonic shock and supersonic–subsonic shock (or transonic shock). Both these possible shocks satisfy the Rankine–Hugoniot conditions and the entropy condition. We prove that the transonic shock is conditionally stable under perturbation of the upstream flow or perturbation of wedge boundary. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A linear approximation for the regular reflection of a weak shock at a wedge satisfying sonic condition

The problem of shock reflection by a wedge, which the flow is dominated by the unsteady potential flow equation, is a important problem. In weak regular reflection, the flow behind the reflected shock is immediately supersonic and becomes subsonic further downstream. The reflected shock is transonic. Its position is a free boundary for the unsteady potential equation, which is degenerate at the sonic line in self-similar coordinates. Applying the special partial hodograph transformation used in [Zhouping Xin, Huicheng Yin, Transonic shock in a nozzle I, 2-D case, Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 57 (2004) 1-51; Zhouping Xin, Huicheng Yin, Transonic shock in a nozzle II, 3-D case, IMS, preprint (2003)], we derive a nonlinear degenerate elliptic equation with nonlinear boundary conditions in a piecewise smooth domain. When the angle, which between incident shock and wedge, is small, we can see that weak regular reflection as the disturbance of normal reflection as in [Shuxing Chen, Linear approximation of shock reflection at a wedge with large angle, Comm. Partial Differential Equations 21 (78) (1996) 1103-1118]. By linearizing the resulted nonlinear equation and boundary conditions with above viewpoint, we obtain a linear degenerate elliptic equation with mixed boundary conditions and a linear degenerate elliptic equation with oblique boundary conditions in a curved quadrilateral domain. By means of elliptic regularization techniques, delicate a priori estimate and compact arguments, we show that the solution of linearized problem with oblique boundary conditions is smooth in the interior and Lipschitz continuous up to the degenerate boundary.     

A linear approximation for the regular reflection of a weak shock at a wedge

The problem of shock reflection by a wedge in the flow dominated by the unsteady potential flow equation is an important problem. In weak regular reflection, the flow behind the reflected shock is immediately supersonic and becomes subsonic further downstream. The reflected shock is transonic. Its position is a free boundary for the unsteady potential equation, which is degenerate at the sonic line in self-similar coordinates. Applying the special partial hodograph transformation used in [Zhouping Xin, Huicheng Yin, Transonic shock in a nozzle I, 2-D case, Comm. Pure Appl. Math. LVII (2004) 1-51; Zhouping Xin, Huicheng Yin, Transonic shock in a nozzle II, 3-D case, IMS, preprint, 2003], we derive a nonlinear degenerate elliptic equation with nonlinear boundary conditions in a piecewise smooth domain. When the angle between incident shock and wedge is small, we can see the weak regular reflection as the disturbance of normal reflection as in [Chen Shuxing, Linear approximation of shock reflection at a wedge with large angle, Comm. Partial Differential Equations 21(78) (1996) 1103-1118]. By linearizing the resulted nonlinear equation and boundary conditions with the above viewpoint in [Chen Shuxing, Linear approximation of shock reflection at a wedge with large angle, Comm. Partial Differential Equations 21(78) (1996) 1103-1118], we obtain a linear degenerate elliptic equation with mixed boundary conditions in a curved quadrilateral domain. By means of elliptic regularization techniques, a delicate a priori estimate and compact arguments, we show that the solution of the linearized problem is smooth in the interior and Lipschitz continuous up to the degenerate boundary.     

Discontinuous solutions to the Euler equations for a van der Waals fluid

In this work we study the discontinuous solutions to the Euler equations for a van der Waals fluid, which contain one shock and one phase transition. We consider the general case when there is a characteristic between the shock front and the phase boundary. We establish the local existence of such solutions.     

A remark on determination of transonic shocks in divergent nozzles for steady compressible Euler flows

In this paper we construct a class of transonic shock in a divergent nozzle which is a part of an angular sector (for two-dimensional case) or a cone (for three-dimensional case) which does not contain the vertex. The state of the compressible flow depends only on the distance from the vertex of the angular sector or the cone. It is supersonic at the entrance, while for appropriately given large pressure at the exit, a transonic shock front appears in the nozzle and the flow becomes subsonic after passing it. The position and strength of the shock is automatically adjusted according to the pressure given at the exit. We demonstrate these phenomena by using the two-dimensional and three-dimensional full steady compressible Euler systems. The idea involved is to solve discontinuous solutions of a class of two-point boundary value problems for systems of ordinary differential equations. Results established in this paper may be used to analyze transonic shocks in general nozzles.     

Stability of a Mach configuration

We prove the stability of a Mach configuration, which occurs in shock reflection off an obstacle or shock interaction in compressible flow. The compressible flow is described by a full, steady Euler system of gas dynamics. The unperturbed Mach configuration is composed of three straight shock lines and a slip line carrying contact discontinuity. Among four regions divided by these four lines in the neighborhood of the intersection, two are supersonic regions, and other two are subsonic regions. We prove that if the constant states in the supersonic regions are slightly perturbed, then the structure of the whole configuration holds, while the other two shock fronts and the slip line, as well as the flow field in the subsonic regions, are also slightly perturbed. Such a conclusion asserts the existence and stability of the general Mach configuration in shock theory. In order to prove the result, we reduce the problem to a free boundary value problem, where two unknown shock fronts are free boundaries, while the slip line is transformed to a fixed line by a Lagrange transformation. In the region where the solution is to be determined, we have to deal with an elliptic‐hyperbolic composed system. By decoupling this system and combining the technique for both hyperbolic equations and elliptic equations, we establish the required estimates, which are crucial in the proof of the existence of a solution to the free boundary value problem. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Transonic shocks in 3-D compressible flow passing a duct with a general section for Euler systems

This paper is devoted to the study of a transonic shock in three-dimensional steady compressible flow passing a duct with a general section. The flow is described by the steady full Euler system, which is purely hyperbolic in the supersonic region and is of elliptic-hyperbolic type in the subsonic region. The upstream flow at the entrance of the duct is a uniform supersonic one adding a three-dimensional perturbation, while the pressure of the downstream flow at the exit of the duct is assigned apart from a constant difference. The problem to determine the transonic shock and the flow behind the shock is reduced to a free boundary value problem of an elliptic-hyperbolic system. The new ingredients of our paper contain the decomposition of the elliptic-hyperbolic system, the determination of the shock front by a pair of partial differential equations coupled with the three-dimensional Euler system, and the regularity analysis of solutions to the boundary value problems introduced in our discussion.

     

Stability of reflection and refraction of shocks on interface

In this paper we study the stability of the nonlinear wave structure caused by the attack of an incident shock on an interface of two different kinds of media. The attack will produce a reflected wave and a refracted wave, and also let the interface deflected. In this paper we will mainly study the case, when the reflected wave is a shock, and the flow between the reflected wave and the refracted shock is relatively subsonic. Our result indicates that the wave structure and the flow field for the reflection-refraction problem in this case is conditionally stable.To describe the motion of the fluid we use the inviscid Euler system as the mathematical model. The reflection-refraction problem can be reduced to a free boundary value problem, where the unknown reflected shock and refracted shock are free boundaries, and the deflected interface is also to be determined. In the proof of the existence and the stability of the corresponding wave structure we apply the Lagrange transformation to fix the interface and the decoupling technique to decouple the elliptic-hyperbolic composite system in its principal part. Meanwhile, some efficient weighted Sobolev estimates are established to derive the existence for corresponding nonlinear problems.     

Persistence of undercompressive phase boundaries for isothermal Euler equations including configurational forces and surface tension

The persistence of subsonic phase boundaries in a multidimensional Van der Waals fluid is analyzed. The phase boundary is considered as a sharp free boundary that connects liquid and vapor bulk phase dynamics given by the isothermal Euler equations. The evolution of the boundary is driven by effects of configurational forces as well as surface tension. To analyze this problem, the equations and trace conditions are linearized such that one obtains a general hyperbolic initial boundary value problem with higher‐order boundary conditions. A global existence theorem for the linearized system with constant coefficients is shown. The proof relies on the normal mode analysis and a linear form in suitable spaces that is defined using an associated adjoint problem. Especially, the associated adjoint problem satisfies the uniform backward in time Kreiss–Lopatinski? condition. A new energy‐like estimate that also includes surface energy terms leads finally to the uniqueness and regularity for the found solutions of the problem in weighted spaces. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamics of non-equilibrium phase boundaries in a heat conducting non-linearly elastic medium

The phase transformation of the first kind in a non-linearly elastic heat conducting medium is simulated by the relationships on a strong discontinuity. A generalization of the Stefan formulation is given. An existence condition for stationary flow, analogous to the Gibbs phase equilibrium condition, is obtained for non-equilibrium phase boundaries. A pure dilatational phase transition in a compressible fluid and pure shear transformation of the twinning type in non-linearly elastic crystals are considered as model examples. The problem of the structure is solved for closure of the system of relationships on the shock.

A phase transformation ordinarily turns out to be localized in a narrow domain of space and it can be simulated in terms of the conditions on a strong discontinuity /1/. Formulation of the problem of the static equilibrium of liquid phases as well as of liquid and (non-linearly elastic) solid phases was given by Gibbs, who proposed a phase equilibrium criterion and formulated appropriate conditions on the shock; the extension of the Gibbs conditions to the case of the equilibrium of two solid phases is known in both the linear /2/ and non-linear /3/ theories of elasticity. The dynamic problem of the propagation of the equilibrium phase boundary is considered in the Stefan formulation as a rule, including the assumption about the continuity of the density (the strain tensor component) on the shock; the thermal problem is here separated from the mechanical one. Simulating the interphasal surface on the shock the temperature fields are merged by using the well-known Stefan conditions as well as the phase equilibrium condition that reduces to giving the temperature on the front.

The purpose of this paper is to extend the Stefan-Gibbs formulation to the case of the motion of a coherent isothermal phase boundary in a non-linearly elastic heat conducting medium and to derive the dynamic analogue of the phase equilibrium condition (and the Stefan conditions) with possible dissipation at the transformation front. Two dissipative mechanisms are examined, viscous and kinetic. The case of equilibrium phase boundaries was investigated in /4–6/.     

A global subsonic solution to an interacting transonic shock for the self-similar nonlinear wave equation

We present the existence of the subsonic solution to a two-dimensional Riemann problem governed by a self-similar nonlinear wave equation where the boundary of the subsonic region consists of a transonic shock and the sonic circle. Thus the governing equation becomes a free boundary problem on the transonic shock and degenerates on the sonic circle. By utilizing the barrier methods and iterative methods, we show the well-posedness of the transonic shock in the entire subsonic region and thus establish the global solution. This result does not rely on any smallness of Riemann data.     

管道内激波的不稳定性

本文将无限大激波阵面的激波不稳定性理论[1]推广到矩形截面管道内的激波不稳定性问题.首先,给出这个问题的数学提法,包括扰动方程与三类边界条件.其次,给出扰动方程的普遍解.上游和下游的普遍解分别含有5个待定常数.再次,在一类边界条件和一个假定下,证明了激波前扰动为0,激波后两个声扰动之一为0.边界条件是,X→±∞处扰动物理量为0.假定只讨论激波不稳定性问题,从而可先设ω=iγ,γ是不稳定性增长率,为正实数.另一类边界条件是管壁上法向速度扰动为0,它使波数只能取一组离散值.最后,用扰动激波上的5个守恒方程这一边界条件来决定激波后4个待定常数和扰动激波振幅这个未知量时,导出了色散关系.结果表明,正实数γ确是存在.不稳定激波有两种模式,一种模式为γ=-W·k(W<0)它代表激波的绝对不稳定性,是新得到的模式.另一种模式与过去工作中给出的[2,3]大体相同.本文则进一步给出了这种模式的激波不稳定性增长率,并指出j2((?V/?P)_H=1+2M为最不稳定点(即无量纲化的不稳定性增长率Г=∞).如果不假定ω是纯虚数,而是复数,其虚部为正实数Im(ω)≥0.本文也严格证明了其不稳定性判据仍有两种模式,ω仍为纯虚数.     

Transonic shock reflection problems for the self-similar two-dimensional nonlinear wave system

We discuss the regular transonic shock reflections for a model problem of multidimensional conservation laws, the nonlinear wave system. We consider two incident shocks that create reflected shocks, and the state behind the reflected shocks becomes subsonic. We present the existence of the global solution to this configuration, and provide an analysis to handle a degeneracy occurred in the problem and Lipschitz estimates near the sonic boundary. We further implement Lax–Liu positive schemes and Strang splitting, and obtain linear correlations of the incident shock strength and the reflected shock strength. The result obtained in this paper develops a mathematical theory of transonic shock reflection problems. Furthermore the numerical result provides better understanding of the solution structure. This paper provides an application of an important physical problem.     

On transonic shocks in a conic divergent nozzle with axi-symmetric exit pressures

In this paper, we establish the existence and stability of a 3-D transonic shock solution to the full steady compressible Euler system in a class of de Laval nozzles with a conic divergent part when a given variable axi-symmetric exit pressure lies in a suitable scope. Thus, for this class of nozzles, we have solved such a transonic shock problem in the axi-symmetric case described by Courant and Friedrichs (1948) in Section 147 of [8]: Given the appropriately large exit pressure pe(x), if the upstream flow is still supersonic behind the throat of the nozzle, then at a certain place in the diverging part of the nozzle a shock front intervenes and the gas is compressed and slowed down to subsonic speed so that the position and the strength of the shock front are automatically adjusted such that the end pressure at the exit becomes pe(x).     

A singular multi-dimensional piston problem in compressible flow

This paper concerns the multi-dimensional piston problem, which is a special initial boundary value problem of multi-dimensional unsteady potential flow equation. The problem is defined in a domain bounded by two conical surfaces, one of them is shock, whose location is also to be determined. By introducing self-similar coordinates, the problem can be reduced to a free boundary value problem of an elliptic equation. The existence of the problem is proved by using partial hodograph transformation and nonlinear alternating iteration. The result also shows the stability of the structure of shock front in symmetric case under small perturbation.     

Potential theory for regular and mach reflection of a shock at a wedge

If a plane shock hits a wedge, a self-similar pattern of reflected shocks travels outward as the shock moves forward in time. The nature of the pattern is explored for weak incident shocks (strength b) and small wedge angles 2θ_w through potential theory, a number of different scalings, some study of mixed equations and matching asymptotics for the different scalings. The self-similar equations are of mixed type. A linearization gives a linear mixed flow valid away from a sonic curve. Near the sonic curve a shock solution is constructed in another scaling except near the zone of interaction between the incident shock and the wall where a special scaling is used. The parameter β = c₁θ²_w(γ + 1)b ranges from 0 to ∞. Here γ is the polytropic constant and C₁ is the sound speed behind the incident shock. For β > 2 regular reflection (weak or strong) can occur and the whole pattern is reconstructed to lowest order in shock strength. For β < 1/2 Mach reflection occurs and the flow behind the reflection is subsonic and can be constructed in principle (with an open elliptic problem) and matched. The case β = 0 can be solved. For 1/2 < β < 2 or even larger β the flow behind a Mach reflection may be transonic and further investigation must be made to determine what happens. The basic pattern of reflection is an almost semi-circular shock issuing, for regular reflection, from the reflection point on the wedge and for Mach reflection, matched with a local interaction flow. Assuming their nature, choosing the least entropy generation, the weak regular reflection will occur for β sufficiently large (von Neumann paradox). An accumulation point of vorticity occurs on the wedge above the leading point. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Transonic nozzle flows and free boundary problems for the full Euler equations

We establish the existence and uniqueness of transonic flows with a transonic shock through a two-dimensional nozzle of slowly varying cross-sections. The transonic flow is governed by the steady, full Euler equations. Given an incoming smooth flow that is close to a constant supersonic state (i.e., smooth Cauchy data) at the entrance and the subsonic condition with nearly horizontal velocity at the exit of the nozzle, we prove that there exists a transonic flow whose downstream smooth subsonic region is separated by a smooth transonic shock from the upstream supersonic flow. This problem is approached by a one-phase free boundary problem in which the transonic shock is formulated as a free boundary. The full Euler equations are decomposed into an elliptic equation and a system of transport equations for the free boundary problem. An iteration scheme is developed and its fixed point is shown to exist, which is a solution of the free boundary problem, by combining some delicate estimates for the elliptic equation and the system of transport equations with the Schauder fixed point argument. The uniqueness of transonic nozzle flows is also established by employing the coordinate transformation of Euler-Lagrange type and detailed estimates of the solutions.     

The configuration of shock wave reflection for the TSD equation

In this paper, we mainly study the nonlinear wave configuration caused by shock wave reflection for the TSD (Transonic Small Disturbance) equation and specify the existence and nonexistence of various nonlinear wave configurations. We give a condition under which the solution of the RR (Regular reflection) for the TSD equation exists. We also prove that there exists no wave configuration of shock wave reflection for the TSD equation which consists of three or four shock waves. In phase space, we prove that the TSD equation has an IR (Irregular reflection) configuration containing a centered simple wave. Furthermore, we also prove the stability of RR configuration and the wave configuration containing a centered simple wave by solving a free boundary value problem of the TSD equation.