A new large cross-section shock tube for studies of turbulent mixing induced by interfacial hydrodynamic instability

Abstract. A new large cross-section shock tube has been developed in order to investigate different stages of the development of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability and the instability-induced turbulent mixing. The main benefits of such a facility are that it allows, first, to create a free turbulent mixing with the knowledge of its initial conditions and, second, to follow different transition phases from the beginning to the fully developed turbulent stage. Received 10 May 2002 / Accepted 20 July 2002 Published online 4 February 2003 Correspondence to: L. Houas (e-mail: Lazhar.Houas@polytech.univ-mrs.fr)