Well-posedness of transonic characteristic discontinuities in two-dimensional steady compressible Euler flows

In our previous work, we have established the existence of transonic characteristic discontinuities separating supersonic flows from a static gas in two-dimensional steady compressible Euler flows under a perturbation with small total variation of the incoming supersonic flow over a solid right wedge. It is a free boundary problem in Eulerian coordinates and, across the free boundary (characteristic discontinuity), the Euler equations are of elliptic–hyperbolic composite-mixed type. In this paper, we further prove that such a transonic characteristic discontinuity solution is unique and L ¹–stable with respect to the small perturbation of the incoming supersonic flow in Lagrangian coordinates.     

On global transonic shocks for the steady supersonic Euler flows past sharp 2-D wedges

In this paper, under certain downstream pressure condition at infinity, we study the globally stable transonic shock problem for the perturbed steady supersonic Euler flow past an infinitely long 2-D wedge with a sharp angle. As described in the book of Courant and Friedrichs [R. Courant, K.O. Friedrichs, Supersonic Flow and Shock Waves, Interscience, New York, 1948] (pages 317-318): when a supersonic flow hits a sharp wedge, it follows from the Rankine-Hugoniot conditions and the entropy condition that there will appear a weak shock or a strong shock attached at the edge of the sharp wedge in terms of the different pressure states in the downstream region, which correspond to the supersonic shock and the transonic shock respectively. It has frequently been stated that the strong shock is unstable and that, therefore, only the weak shock could occur. However, a convincing proof of this instability has apparently never been given. The aim of this paper is to understand this open problem. More concretely, we will establish the global existence and stability of a transonic shock solution for 2-D full Euler system when the downstream pressure at infinity is suitably given. Meanwhile, the asymptotic state of the downstream subsonic solution is determined.     

Transonic shocks for steady Euler flows with cylindrical symmetry

In this paper, we prove the existence of transonic shocks adjacent to a uniform one for the full Euler system for steady compressible fluids with cylindrical symmetry in a cylinder, and consequently show the stability of such uniform transonic shocks. Mathematically we solve a free boundary problem for a quasi-linear elliptic–hyperbolic composite system. This reveals that the boundary conditions and equations interact in a subtle way. The key point is to “separate” in a suitable way the elliptic and hyperbolic parts of the system. The approach developed here can be applied to deal with certain multidimensional problems concerning stability of transonic shocks for the full Euler system.     

Three dimensional steady subsonic Euler flows in bounded nozzles

The existence and uniqueness of three dimensional steady subsonic Euler flows in rectangular nozzles were obtained when prescribing normal component of momentum at both the entrance and exit. If, in addition, the normal component of the voriticity and the variation of Bernoulli's function at the entrance are both zero, then there exists a unique subsonic potential flow when the magnitude of the normal component of the momentum is less than a critical number. As the magnitude of the normal component of the momentum approaches the critical number, the associated flows converge to a subsonic–sonic flow. Furthermore, when the normal component of vorticity and the variation of Bernoulli function are both small, the existence and uniqueness of subsonic Euler flows with non-zero vorticity are established. The proof of these results is based on a new formulation for the Euler system, a priori estimate for nonlinear elliptic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions, detailed study for a linear div–curl system, and delicate estimate for the transport equations.     

Uniqueness of symmetric steady subsonic flows in infinitely long divergent nozzles

We prove that the spherically symmetric subsonic flows in an infinitely long straight divergent nozzle with arbitrary smooth cross-section are unique for the three-dimensional steady potential flow equation. The proof depends on an extreme principle for elliptic equations in an unbounded conical domain, under the assumption that the gradient of the solution is of order \({O\left(\frac{1}{|x|}\right)}\) as \({|x|\rightarrow\infty}\) . Similar result holds for steady subsonic Euler flows in two-dimensional infinitely long straight divergent nozzles.     

Subsonic solutions to compressible transonic potential problems for isothermal self-similar flows and steady flows

We establish boundary and interior gradient estimates, and show that no supersonic bubble appears inside of a subsonic region for transonic potential flows for both self-similar isothermal and steady problems. We establish an existence result for the self-similar isothermal problem, and improve the Hopf maximum principle to show that the flow is strictly elliptic inside of the subsonic region for the steady problem.     

Uniqueness of symmetric steady subsonic flows in infinitely long divergent nozzles

We prove that the spherically symmetric subsonic flows in an infinitely long straight divergent nozzle with arbitrary smooth cross-section are unique for the three-dimensional steady potential flow equation. The proof depends on an extreme principle for elliptic equations in an unbounded conical domain, under the assumption that the gradient of the solution is of order O(\frac1|x|){O\left(\frac{1}{|x|}\right)} as |x|?￥{|x|\rightarrow\infty} . Similar result holds for steady subsonic Euler flows in two-dimensional infinitely long straight divergent nozzles.     

Existence of steady subsonic Euler flows through infinitely long periodic nozzles

In this paper, we study the global existence of steady subsonic Euler flows through infinitely long nozzles which are periodic in $x_1$-direction with the period L. It is shown that when the variation of Bernoulli function at some given section is small and mass flux is in a suitable regime, there exists a unique global subsonic flow in the nozzle. Furthermore, the flow is also periodic in $x_1$-direction with the period L. If, in particular, the Bernoulli function is a constant, we also get the existence of subsonic-sonic flows when the mass flux takes the critical value.     

Subsonic solutions for compressible transonic potential flows

We establish an existence theorem for transonic isentropic potential flows where the subsonic region is bounded by the sonic line and thus the governing equation may become degenerate on the boundary partly or entirely. It has been conjectured by experiments and numerical studies that the self-similar multidimensional flow changes its type, namely, hyperbolic far from the origin (supersonic region) and elliptic near the origin (subsonic region). Furthermore, the potential equation has a different nonlinearity compared to other transonic problems such as the unsteady transonic small disturbance equation, the nonlinear wave equation, and the pressure gradient equation. Namely, the coefficients of the potential equation depend on the gradients while others are independent of the gradients. We provide techniques to handle the gradients, establish interior and boundary gradient estimates for the potential flow in a convex region, and answer the conjecture, that is, the flow is strictly elliptic and the region is subsonic.     

Stability of supersonic contact discontinuity for two-dimensional steady compressible Euler flows in a finite nozzle

In this paper, we study the stability of supersonic contact discontinuity for the two-dimensional steady compressible Euler flows in a finitely long nozzle of varying cross-sections. We formulate the problem as an initial–boundary value problem with the contact discontinuity as a free boundary. To deal with the free boundary value problem, we employ the Lagrangian transformation to straighten the contact discontinuity and then the free boundary value problem becomes a fixed boundary value problem. We develop an iteration scheme and establish some novel estimates of solutions for the first order of hyperbolic equations on a cornered domain. Finally, by using the inverse Lagrangian transformation and under the assumption that the incoming flows and the nozzle walls are smooth perturbations of the background state, we prove that the original free boundary problem admits a unique weak solution which is a small perturbation of the background state and the solution consists of two smooth supersonic flows separated by a smooth contact discontinuity.     

Subsonic Euler flows in a divergent nozzle

We characterize a class of physical boundary conditions that guarantee the existence and uniqueness of the subsonic Euler flow in a general finitely long nozzle.More precisely,by prescribing the incoming flow angle and the Bernoulli’s function at the inlet and the end pressure at the exit of the nozzle,we establish an existence and uniqueness theorem for subsonic Euler flows in a 2-D nozzle,which is also required to be adjacent to some special background solutions.Such a result can also be extended to the 3-D asymmetric case.     

Three dimensional non-isentropic subsonic Euler flows in rectangular nozzles

In this paper, we study the existence and uniqueness of three dimensional non-isentropic subsonic Euler flows in rectangular nozzles. This work is an extension of Chen and Xie’s work on isentropic subsonic Euler flows. If, besides small normal component of vorticity, Bernoulli’s function and entropy function with small variations are given on the entrance, the existence and uniqueness of non-isentropic subsonic Euler flows are established.     

Steady transonic shocks and free boundary problems in infinite cylinders for the Euler equations

We establish the existence and stability of multidimensional transonic shocks (hyperbolic‐elliptic shocks) for the Euler equations for steady compressible potential fluids in infinite cylinders. The Euler equations, consisting of the conservation law of mass and the Bernoulli law for velocity, can be written as a second order nonlinear equation of mixed elliptic‐hyperbolic type for the velocity potential. The transonic shock problem in an infinite cylinder can be formulated into the following free boundary problem: The free boundary is the location of the multidimensional transonic shock which divides two regions of C^1,α flow in the infinite cylinder, and the equation is hyperbolic in the upstream region where the C^1,α perturbed flow is supersonic. We develop a nonlinear approach to deal with such a free boundary problem in order to solve the transonic shock problem in unbounded domains. Our results indicate that there exists a solution of the free boundary problem such that the equation is always elliptic in the unbounded downstream region, the uniform velocity state at infinity in the downstream direction is uniquely determined by the given hyperbolic phase, and the free boundary is C^1,α, provided that the hyperbolic phase is close in C^1,α to a uniform flow. We further prove that, if the steady perturbation of the hyperbolic phase is C^2,α, the free boundary is C^2,α and stable under the steady perturbation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals Inc.     

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).     

Incompressible limit of solutions of multidimensional steady compressible Euler equations

A compactness framework is formulated for the incompressible limit of approximate solutions with weak uniform bounds with respect to the adiabatic exponent for the steady Euler equations for compressible fluids in any dimension. One of our main observations is that the compactness can be achieved by using only natural weak estimates for the mass conservation and the vorticity. Another observation is that the incompressibility of the limit for the homentropic Euler flow is directly from the continuity equation, while the incompressibility of the limit for the full Euler flow is from a combination of all the Euler equations. As direct applications of the compactness framework, we establish two incompressible limit theorems for multidimensional steady Euler flows through infinitely long nozzles, which lead to two new existence theorems for the corresponding problems for multidimensional steady incompressible Euler equations.     

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 multilevel finite volume method with multiscale-based grid adaptation for steady compressible flows

An implicit multilevel finite volume solver on adaptively refined quadtree meshes is presented for the solution of steady state flow problems. The nonlinear problem arising from the implicit time discretization is solved by an adaptive FAS multigrid method. Local grid adaptation is performed by means of a multiscale-based strategy. For this purpose data of the flow field are decomposed into coarse grid information and a sequence of detail coefficients that describe the difference between two refinement levels and reveal insight into the local regularity behavior of the solution. Here wavelet techniques are employed for the multiscale analysis. The key idea of the present work is to use the transfer operators of the multiscale analysis for the prolongation and restriction operator in the FAS cycle. The efficiency of the solver is investigated by means of an inviscid 2D flow over a bump.     

Global uniqueness of steady subsonic Euler flows in three-dimensional ducts

We show for certain boundary conditions, under suitable assumptions on the velocity field, the steady compressible Euler flows in three-dimensional straight ducts must be irrotational, and hence, prove global uniqueness of uniform subsonic flows in these ducts. The proof depends on careful analysis of transport equations of vorticity and theory of second-order elliptic equations in bounded or unbounded domains.