Int. J. Engng Sci. Vol. 33, No. 4, pp.

535-553, 1995
Pergamon Copyright (~ 1995 Elsevier Science Ltd
0020-7225(94)00086-7 Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved
0020-7225/95 $9.50+ 0.00

S I M I L A R I T Y SOLUTIONS F O R C O N V E R G I N G SHOCKS
IN A R E L A X I N G GAS

V. D. S H A R M A and CH. R A D H A
Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Powai-400 076, India

(Communicated by S. I. PAI)

Abstracl--In the present paper, we use the method of Lie group invariance to determine the class of
self-similar solutions to a problem concerning plane and radially symmetric flows of a relaxing gas
involving shocks of arbitrary strength. The ambient gas ahead of the shock is considered to be
inhomogeneous. The method yields a general form of the relaxation rate for which the self-similar
solutions are admitted. The arbitrary constants, occurring in the expressions for the generators of the
local Lie group of transformations, give rise to different cases of possible solutions with a power law,
exponential or logarithmic shock paths. In contrast to situations without relaxation, the inclusion of
relaxation effects imply constraint conditions. A particular case of the collapse of an imploding shock
is worked out in detail for radially symmetric flows. Numerical calculations have been performed to
determine the effects of relaxation and the ambient density on the self-similar exponent and the flow
patterns.

1. I N T R O D U C T I O N

It is well known that in contrast to the self-similar solutions of the first type, where the
self-similarity of the solution and its representation can be obtained from dimensional analysis,
the nature of the similarity in respect of self-similar solutions of the second type is revealed
neither by dimensional analysis nor by other group properties of the medium, but only by
actually solving the equations as a nonlinear eigenvalue problem. The collapse of an imploding
shock wave, is one of the examples of a class of self-similar solutions of the second type. A
theoretical investigation of imploding shock waves in a perfect gas has been presented by
Guderley [1], Zeldovich and Raizer [2] and Lazarus [3]. More recently, Van Dyke and
Guttmann [4] and Hafner [5] have derived solutions to the convergent shock problem by means
of alternative methods.
The possibilities of similarity solutions for one-dimensional reactive flow involving shocks
have been explored by Sternberg [6], who analyses in detail the plane reactive flow for the case
when the reaction rate is proportional to the internal energy and the shock velocity is varying
exponentially with time. Assuming the shock to be infinitely strong, Logan and Perez [7] have
discussed the self-similar solutions to a problem concerning plane flow of a reacting gas with an
arbitrary form of the reaction rate.
In flows with imploding shocks, conditions of very high temperature and pressure can be
produced near the centre (axis) of implosion on account of the self amplifying nature of
imploding shocks. As a result of high temperatures attained by gases in motion, the effects of
nonequilibrium thermodynamics on the dynamic motion of a converging shock wave can be
important. Ever since the nonequilibrium effects were recognized to be important in high
temperature gasdynamics, considerable efforts have been devoted to the restudy of the classical
problem in the light of these new considerations. In this paper, we use the method of Lie group
invariance under infinitesimal point transformations [7, 8] to determine the class of self-similar
solutions for unsteady planar and radially symmetric flows of an inviscid relaxing gas involving
shocks, and discuss the qualitative features of the possible self-similar solutions in a unified
manner. The departure from equilibrium is due to vibrational relaxation of a diatomic gas; the
rotational and translational modes are assumed to be in local thermodynamical equilibrium
throughout. The group theoretic method enables us to characterize completely the state
ES 33-4-F 535
536 V . D . SHARMA and CH. R A D H A

dependent form of the relaxation rate for which the problem is invariant and admits self-similar
solutions. The arbitrary constants, occurring in the expressions for the generators of the local
Lie group of transformations, give rise to different cases of possible solutions with a power law,
exponential or logarithmic shock paths. A particular case of the collapse of an imploding shock
is worked out in detail for radially symmetric flows. For typical values of the flow parameters,
the value of the self-similar exponent is uniquely determined from the condition that the
solution of the system of ordinary differential equations describing the self-similar motion is
regular on a regular characteristic passing through the centre (axis) of implosion. Indeed, the
system of ordinary differential equations is integrated iteratively with the similarity exponent so
adjusted that the system is made regular. Numerical calculations have been performed to
determine the values of the self-similarity exponent and the profiles of the flow variables
behind the shock; for the sake of comparison the similarity exponent is also computed using
Whitham's rule. As far as we are aware, the effects of relaxation on the dynamics of an
imploding shock have not been studied previously. This paper brings out some interesting
features of the interaction between the relaxing mode and the fluid flow, which are given in the
end. In the absence of vibrational relaxation, our results are in very good agreement with the
values of the similarity parameter quoted by Guderley [1], Hafner [5] and Sakurai [9].

2. BASIC EQUATIONS

Assuming that the gas molecules have only one lagging internal mode (i.e. vibrational
relaxation) and the various transport effects are neglegible, the basic equations for an unsteady
one-dimensional planar (m = 0), cylindrically (m = 1) or spherically (m = 2) symmetric motion
of a relaxing gas are [10]
P,t -k- pU,x d- llp, x + m p u / x = 0, (1)

u , + UU,x + p-lp,x = 0, (2)

p,, + up.x + pa2(U,x + m u / x ) + ( y - 1)pQ = 0, (3)

o',, + UtLx = Q, (4)

where x is the spatial coordinate being either axial in flows with planar geometry or radial in
cylindrically and spherically symmetric flows, t the time, u the particle velocity, p the density, p
the pressure, o- the vibrational energy and a = (yp/p)l/2 the frozen speed of sound with y being
the frozen specific heat ratio of the gas. A comma followed by a subscript x or t denotes partial
differentiation with respect to the indicated variable. The quantity Q, which is a known
function of p, p and o-, denotes the rate of change of vibrational energy, and is given by [11]

Q = (,~(p, p ) - ~}/T(p, o), (5)

where K is the equilibrium value of tr defined as t~ = Ko(X) + c ( p , p ) R ( T - To(x)); here T is the

translational temperature, R is the specific gas constant, suffix 0 refers to the initial rest
conditions, and the quantities ¢ and c are respectively the relaxation time and the ratio of
vibrational specific heat to the specific gas constant. The equation of state is taken to be of the
form
p = pRY. (6)

Now, we consider the motion of a shock front, x = X(t), propagating into an inhomogeneous
medium specified by

uo -= 0, Po -= constant, Po = Oo(X), O'o = ~ro(x). (7)

 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 537

Let V be the shock velocity; then the usual Rankine Hugoniot jump conditions across the shock
front may be written as

2 p o ( X ( t ) ) V 2 - YPo (y + 1)pZ(X(t))V z
u ( X ( t ) , t) = , p ( X ( t ) , t) =
Y + 1 po(X(t))V ( 7 - 1 ) p o ( X ( t ) ) V z + 2ypo'

2 p o ( X ( t ) ) V 2 - ( y - 1)p0
p ( X ( t ) , t) - , t r ( X ( t ) , t) = tro(X(t)). (8)
y+l

3. S I M I L A R I T Y A N A L Y S I S BY I N V A R I A N C E G R O U P S

Since the system (1)-(4) is a set of quasilinear hyperbolic partial differential equations, it is
hard, in general, to determine a solution without approximations. Here, we assume that there
exists a solution of (1)-(4) subject to (8) along a family of curves, called similarity curves, for
which the set of partial differential equations reduce to a set of ordinary differential equations,
and also assume that the shock trajectory is embedded in the family of similarity curves; this
type of solution is called a similarity solution.
In order to determine a similarity solution and the similarity curves, we seek a one parameter
infinitesimal group of transformations [7, 8]

t* = t + E~(x, t, P, u, p, ~), x * = x + EZ(x, t, p, u, p, tr),

p* = p + eS(x, t, p, u, p, tr), u* = u + EU(x, t, p, u, p, o'), (9)

p * = p + e P ( x , t, p, u, p, cr), cr* = ¢ + e E ( x , t, p, u, p, tr),

where the generators ~, Z, S, U, P and E are to be determined in such a way that the partial
differential equations (1)-(4), together with the conditions (7) and (8), are invariant with
respect to the transformations (9); the entity e is so small that its square and higher powers may
be neglected. The existence of such a group allows the number of independent variables in the
problem to be reduced by one, and thereby allowing the system (1)-(4) to be replaced by a
system of ordinary differential equations.
In the sequel, we shall use summation convention and, therefore, introduce the notation
X l = t , X 2 = X , U l = R , U2=/I, u 3 = p , / ~ 4 = O " and p } = O u i / O x j , where i = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and j = l , 2.
The system (1)-(4), which can be represented as

Fk(xj, u,, p}) = O, k = 1, 2, 3, 4,

is said to be constantly conformally invariant under the infinitesimal group (9), if there exist
constants ar,(r, s = 1, 2, 3, 4) such that for all smooth surfaces, ui = u~(xfl, we have

~ F k = O[krFr, (10)

where 3? is the Lie derivative in the direction of the extended vector field

"~X/ i 0 i 0

with~I=O,~Z=Z, {I = S, ~Z = U, ~3 = p, {4 = E, and

eej= Oxj Ou----~kP,- o---~jPe-ou---~PeP,, = 1, 2, n = 1, 2, 3, 4 (11)

being the generators of the derivative transformation.

538 v . D. S H A R M A and CH. R A D H A

Equation (10) implies

OFk + 3Fk - 3Fk ~i
Ox/~x -~uiui~'~+-~p}p}~PJ=0/k~Fs' k = 1, 2, 3, 4.

Substitution of ~ j from (11) into the last equation gives a polynomial in the p}. Setting the
coefficients of pj and P/Pl
i k to zero gives a system of first order, linear partial differential
equations in the generators 0, Z, S, U, P and E. This system, which is called the system of
determining equations of the group, can be solved to find the invariance group (9).
If the above program is carried out for the system of partial differential equations (1)-(4), we
obtain the most general group under which the system is invariant; indeed, the invariance of
the continuity equation (1) yields the following system of determining equations

m( puX] { m,I,xPU} mpu

S t "l- u S x ~- p U , x -It- - - f l U "~ u S - -- 0/13 ( Y - 1)pQ + + 0/11 0/14Q,
• ' x x / x

S,p - i]1,, - u~lt, x = 0/11, S,u - p ~ , x = 0/12, S,p = 0/13,

S , o . = 0/14, U - ,~_,, t q- lg S, p - U l'~,x q- lo U, p =---0/11 u ,

S - t - / 1 S u nt- p ( g u -Z,x) = 0/110 -t- c~12u -4- 0/133"P,

p U , p q- u S , p = 0/12/P -t- 0/13 u , DU, o_ q- u S , o_ = 0/14 u , (12)

In the similar way, invariance of the m o m e n t u m equation (2), yields

U, + uUx + p-'p,x = 0/21mpu]x + 0/23{(Y - 1)pQ + m y p u / x } - 0/24Q,
U p = 0/~,, U. - q~, - uq~,~ = 0 / ~ ,

U,p - p - l l / / , x ~- 0/23, U,o- = 0/24,

U-x,t+u(U,u-X,x)-t-p-lp,u=0/alP+0/22/1+0/233"p, uU, o+p-Ip, p=0/21u,

- 3 / 0 2 q - / 1 U , p q- p l(p,p _X,x) = 0/22t° 1 q_ 0/23/1 ,

/1U, o_ _]_ p lp, o- ~_ 0/24u, (13)

Next, invariance of the energy equation (3), yields

P,, + Up,x + 3"pUx + rn3"(uP + p U - p u z / x ) / x + (3' - 1)SQ
+ (3" - 1 ) { S Q , p + PQp + EQ.,~}p = 0/31mpu/x + 0/33{(3" - 1)pO + m3"pu/x} - 0/340,
P,p = 0/31, e,u - 3"Pl]I,x = 0/32, e , p - ~,t -/11]/,x = 0/33,

P,o- = 0/34, /1P,,p + TPU, o = 0/31/1,

TP + uP,. + yp(U.. - Z.x) = 0/310 "q- 0 / 3 2 u q- aa3 3"P,

U - X,t + UP,p - u X , x + 3"pU, p = 0/32/P + 0/33/1, UP,o- -~ 3"pU, cr = 0/34/1- (14)

Finally, invariance of the rate equation (4), yields
E., + uEx - (SQ, o + PQ.p + EQ.~) = a a l m p u / x + 0/43{(3" -- 1)pQ + m3"pu/x} - 0¢44Q,
E p = o/41 E u = 0/42 E , p = 0/43

E , cr - u~/,x - I~,t = 0/44, u E , p = 0/41 u ,

uE. = 0/41P + 0/42 u -~- 0/433"P, u E , p : 0/42/P ~- 0/43 u ,

U - Z,, + uE.~ - UZ.x = 0/44u, ~ = ~b(x, t), Z = Z( x, t). (15)

From (12)5.9, (13)2.5.9 and (14)2,5,6 we have U.~ = P,o- = U.p = P,p = 0/21 = 0/31 = 0/24 = 0/34 = 0;
 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 539

consequently, derivatives of (13)4 and (13)6 with respect to p and p yield U,pp = ~0,x= Up =
ot23 = 0. Thus, we have from (12)4,8 and (15)4,8 that S,u = E u = alE = 342 = 0.
Next, differentiating (12)7 with respect to p and tr and using (12)4, we get S,p = S , = ot13 =
a14 = 0. Similarly, using (14)7 and (15)7, we have S -- S(x, t, p), U -- U(x, t, u), P = P(x, t, p),
E = E(x, t, tr) and aij = 0 for i # j . Finally, equations (12)2, (13)3, (14)4 and (15)5 lead to
S,pp = U,u, = P,pp = E , ~ = 0,
which, in turn, imply
S = (0/11 + ~b,,)p + Sl(X, t), U = (0/22 + d/,,)u + Ul(x, t),
P = (0/33 + ~,,)P + Pl(X, t), E = (0/44 -}- I/I,t)Or"~ El(X, t), (16)
~b= ~b(t),
where $1, /-]1, Px and E1 are arbitrary functions of x and t only. Substitution of (16) into (12)7,
(13)1,6, (14)1,7, and (15)1 yields on simplification
0, if m = 1 , 2
SI=-PI=-O, El=-d, UI= kl, ifm=0 '

{((2a + o/22)x, if m = l , 2
(17)
~b=at+b, Z= 2a+0/22)X+klt+C, if m = 0 '
SQ.p + PQ,p + EQ,~ = 0/44Q, 0/33 = 20/22 + 311 + 2a, 0/44 = 20/22 + a,
where a, b, c, d and kl are integration constants. Using equations (17)1,2,3,4,8 in equations (16)
and (17)6, we obtain
~(0/22+a)u, if r e = l , 2
S = (Otll + a)p,
U=t(a22+a)u+k1, if m = 0
P = (2322 + 0/11 -}- 3a)p, E = 2(0t22 + a)cr + d,
~(0/22 q- 2a)x, if m = 1, 2
ql = at + b,
Z=[(0/E2+2a)x + k l t + c , if m = 0
so,p + eo,p + EQ,~ = (20/22 + a)Q. (18)
Thus, the generators of the local Lie group of transformations, involving arbitrary constants a,
b, c, d, kl, 0/11 and 322, are known.

4. S E L F - S I M I L A R S O L U T I O N S AND C O N S T R A I N T S

The arbitrary constants, occurring in the expressions for the generators of the local Lie group
of transformations, give rise to several cases of possible solutions, which we discuss below.
Case I
When a # 0 and 322 + 2a # 0, the change of variables from (x, t) to (f, 7) defined as
f=fx, if m = l , 2
"i=t + b/a,
x + c(0/22 + 2a) -1, if m = 0 '
does not alter the equations (1)-(14); thus, rewriting the set of equations (18) in terms of the
new variables f and i, and then suppressing the tilde sign, we have
~(0/22 "{- a)u, if m = 1, 2
S = (all + a)p, U = [(Ot22 q- a)u + kl, if m = 0 '
P = (2322 + all + 3a)p, E = 2(322 + a)or + d, ~b = at,
~(322+2a)x, if m = 1 , 2
Z=[(t~22+2a)X+klt, if m = 0 '
SQ,p + PQ.p + EQ,~ = (2322 + a)Q. (19)
540 V . D . S H A R M A and CH. R A D H A

The similarity variable and the form of similarity solutions for p, u, p, tr and Q readily follow
from the invariant surface condition, ui(x*, t*) = u*(x, t), which yields
qJp,t + Zp,x = S, gin,, + ZU,x = U,
CP,, + ZP.x = P, Ctr.,+ X~r.x = E.
The last set of equations together with (19)7 yields on integration the following forms of the
flow variables
~t(~-l)0({), if m = 1, 2 (20)
p = t(l+~"/~)~(~), u = [t(~_l)0(~: ) _ k*, if m = 0 '
p --- t(zs-l+a"/a)P(~), o" = t2(6-1)/~(~) _ d*, Q =p(Z,~-3)a/cq,+(Z,S-1)aq(.q, ~),

where k* = k l / ( 6 - 1)a, d* = d / 2 ( 6 - 1)a and q is an arbitrary function of 7/and

Tl = pp-(au+a)/(a"+(26-1)a) , ~ = p(o" + d*) -(au+(2~-1)a)/2(~-1)a, 8=(ot22+2a)/a. (21)

The functions ~, U, /5 a n d / ~ depend only on dimensionless form of the similarity variable ~,

which is determined as
[x/(At~), if m = 1, 2 (22)
= [ x / ( A t ~ ) + k * t (~-~)/A, if m = 0 ,
where A is a dimensional constant, whose dimensions are obtained by the similarity exponent
8. Since the shock must be a similarity curve, it may be normalized to be at ~ = 1. The shock
path and the shock velocity V are, then, given by

~ A t ~, if m = 1 , 2 , (23)
X = [At{t(~_l) _ k * / A } , if m = 0. '

~6X/t, if m = 1, 2 (24)
V = [ { A S t ( ~ _ l ) _ k*}, if m = 0.

Equation (20)5, together with (21), yields the general form of Q for which the self-similar
solutions exist. At the shock, we have the following conditions on the functions ~, 0, P a n d / ~
= ~'t(~-1)0(1), if m = 1, 2
PIg=I=t(I+a"/a)s(I)' u1¢=1 I . t ( ~ - l ) U ( 1 ) - k *, if m = 0 '

P [~¢=1 = t(26-1+~"/")P(1), ~r[e= 1 = t2(~-x)/~(1) - d*. (25)

Equations (25), in view of the invariance of jump conditions (8), suggest the following forms of
p0(x), o(X)
po(x) =- pc(X/Xo) °, ~o(X) =- ~ro(x) =- cr~(x/xo) v + O~o, (26)
and the following conditions on the functions ~, /], P and/~ at the shock
28A poV 2 - YPo /~(1) = ~g~(A/x°)r' if O'o is varying
/~(1) ) (27)
7 + 1 poV 2 ' [0, if O'o is constant'

P(1) -
(2p°v - - 8(1) = + X)p°V%A°
( y + 1)poV2x ° ' {(y - 1)poV 2 + 2ypo}X °'
together with
S-(°'c + O'co), if O-o is constant
k* O, d* (28)
1l - O'~o, if ¢ro is varying '
where 0 = (Olll + a)/Ta,
0, if ¢ro is constant (29)
F= 2(6-1)/6, if ~ro is varying '
 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 541

and pc, Xo, tr~ and O'c0 are some reference constants associated with the medium.
Equations (27) show that the necessary condition for the existence of a similarity solution for
shocks of arbitrary strength is that p o ( X ( t ) ) V 2 must be a constant, which implies that 0 and 8
are not independent, but rather
06 + 2(8 - i) = 0. (30)
However, for strong shocks, V >> ao, constancy of poV 2 or equivalently the condition (30) is not
required, and thus, we have

S(1) = (3` + 1)p~A° 28A 282pcA °+2

(Y 1)x0° ' 0(1)- /5(1)
- 3, + 1' (3' + 1)x0° '

[(rc(A/xo) r, if cr0 is varying

~(1) /
(31)
(0, if tro is constant'

together with the equations defined in (26), (28) and (29).

Using (27) or (31), we rewrite the equations (20), (21), (22), (23) and (24) as

p = po(X(t))S*(~), u = VU*(~),

p = po(X(t))V2p*(~), o" = V2E*(~) - d*,

Q = p(2a-3)/(2a-2)q(.q, ~), .17 = pp-Oa/((2+o)6-2), ~ = p ( ~ + d*) -((2+0)8-2)/2(8-1), (32)

= x [ A t 8, X = A t ~, V = 8X/t,

where S * ( ~ ) = x ° ~ ( ~ ) / p c A °, U*(~)=fJ(~)/(SA), P*(~)=X°oP(s~)/(pc82A °+2) and E*=

ti(~)/a2A 2.
We thus note that this case leads to a class of similarity solutions where the shock path is
given by a power law (32)9. The form of Q, given by (5), should be consistent with equation
(32)5 in order to have a similarity solution; thus, if the quantities r and c are assumed to be of
the form
c = c*p~'p ~2, z = z,p~3pm, (33)

with /31, /32, /33, /34, c* and t* being constants associated with the reference medium, it is
required that the following relations hold

/31{08 + 2(8 -- 1)} = --/3208, /33{08 + 2(8 - 1)} = 1 -/3408. (34)

We, thus, note that the requirement of a self-similar flow pattern poses the similarity conditions
(29) and (34) on the parameters/31, /32, /33, /34, O, F and 6. It may, however, be noted that
there are no constraints, like (34), in the absence of relaxation. Substituting (32) in the
governing equations (1)-(4) and using (5), (26), (28), (29), (33) and (34) we obtain the
following system of ordinary differential equations in S*, U*, P* and E* which on suppressing
the asterisk sign becomes,
mSU
(u-~)s'+su'+os+ =0,

(U - ~)U' + :~
1 P' + (8
1 ) .-_ . U O,
3 6

2(6 1,P+) m 3 ` P f + (3` _ 1)SQ, = O,

( U - I~)p' + 3`PU' + OP +
a

(u - ~)E' + 2(8 - 1)E/a - Q , = o, (35)

542 v.D. SHARMA and CH. R A D H A

where a prime denotes differentiation with respect to the independent variable ~ and

I {eo62O~Pt3'S#2( P pov2]P°"~- E'~I'~o 62O3+lpt~3S ~ , if O-o is constant

Q * = [ { eo62O~p°'s 02( P po ~] _ E + 6 c [62j~.ou

poV2 t . , . ~ z ~ 3 + l o t .3 3 cot w ~I l , if cro is varying

with 6"~, Vo and eo as dimensionless parameters defined as

drc = o-cAr-2Xo r, .co = ,r*x-O(O3+O4)A203+O(133+O.)p~03+04),

eo = C*Xo°(th +th)A 2t3'+°(th +th) p~ ' +t~2.

In view of (30), the term p o / p o V 2 in the expression of Q., is either a constant or can be
neglected, depending on whether the shock is of arbitrary strength or of infinite strength
respectively. Indeed, for a shock of arbitrary strength, the jump conditions, become

2 poV 2 - YPo ( y + 1)poV 2

U(1) = - - S(1) - , 60 + 2(6 - 1) = 0,
y +1 po V2 ' (y - 1)po V2 + 2ypo

(2poV 2 - (y - 1)po) E(1) = f 6 ¢ / 6 2 ' if O-o is varying

P(1) / (36)
(y + 1)p0V 2 ' [0, if or0 is constant"

However, for an infinitely strong shock, the jump conditions are

(y + 1) 2 2
S(1) (3'-1)' U(1) 3' + 1 ' P(1) y+l'

~6c/62, if cro is varying

E(1) / (37)
(0, if ~ro is constant"

Thus, the system (35) is to be solved subjected to the jump conditions (36) and (37) depending
on whether the shock is of arbitrary strength or an infinite strength.

Case II
When a = 0 and 0/22 ~&O, the change of variables from (x, t) to (£, 7) defined as

Y, = x + c/a22, ? = t,
leaves the basic equations (1)-(4) unchanged. The similarity variable and the form of similarity
solutions for the flow variables readily follow from (18), and can be expressed in the following
forms on suppressing the tilde sign

p = po(X(t))S(~), u = VU(~),
p = poV2p(~), tr = V2E(~) - d*,
Q = p(2+o)/2q(rl ' ~), rl = pp-O/(2+ 0), ~ = p(o" + d*) -(2+°)/2,

po(x) = m(X/Xo) °, ~o(X) = ~c(X/Xo)r + ~co,

{0, if O'o is constant d* = t -(~r~ + O-~o), if Cro is constant

(38)
F = 2, if O'o is varying ' t-O-co, if cro is varying '

where the dimensionless similarity variable ~, the shock location X and the shock velocity V are
given by
= (X/Xo)exp(-6t/A), X = Xo e x p ( 6 t / A ) , V = (6xo/A)exp(6t/A), (39)

with A as a dimensional constant. Here, we note that this case leads to a class of similarity
 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 543

solutions with an exponential shock path given by (39)2. If the relaxation rate is given by (5)
and (33), the requirement of a self-similar flow pattern in this case poses the following
similarity conditions
/3zO /340
/31= 2+0' /33 2+0" (40)

Thus, substituting (38) in the system of equations (1)-(4) and using (5), (33), (39) and (40), we
obtain the following set of ordinary differential equations
mSU
( U - ~)S' + S U ' + OS + = O,

1
( u - ¢)v' + = P ' + 8 u = o,

( U - ¢ ) P ' + T P U ' + ( 0 + 2)P + m T P U + (2/ _ 1)SQ, = 0,

(U - ¢)E' + 2E - Q , = 0, (41)
where Q , is the same as in (35) with
6% = trcA2/x2o, to = a'*~(/33+/34)v2/33
- ec ~0 "1A -(2/33+1) , eo = ~~*v2/31~/31+/32
-~0 ec ,1a --2fin •
The system (41) is to be solved subject to the constraints (40) and conditions for S(~), U(~),
P(~) and E(~) at ~ = 1, which are given by (36)1,2,4,5 together with 0 = - 2 for a shock of
arbitrary strength; however for a shock of infinite strength, the corresponding conditions are
given by (37).

Case I I I
Here, we consider a situation when a ¢ 0 and a22 + 2a = 0. The analysis reveals that this
situation can not arise in a radially symmetric (m = 1, 2) flow as it does not allow for the
existence of a similarity solution in such a flow configuration. However, this situation can occur
in a plane (m = 0) flow where the change of variables from (x, t) to ($, ?) defined as
=x, ?=t+b/a,

does not alter the basic equations (1)-(4); consequently, equations (18) imply the following
forms of the flow and similarity variables.
p = po(X(t))S(~), u = VU(I~),
p = poVZP(~), o" = V2E(~) + d*,
Q = p-3/to~-Z)q(rl ' ~), rl = pp80/(2-80), ~ = p(o" - d * ) (0'~-2)/2,

= (x - Xo8 l n ( t / A ) ) / X o , X = Xo6 l n ( t / A ) , V = 8Xo/t,

po(x) = Pc e x p ( Ox]xo), o%(x) = crc e x p ( F x / x o ) + Oco, (42)

where
0 if O'o is constant fo'c + o'c0, if tr0 is constant
F = -2/6 if tro is varying ' d* = l~rco, if tro is varying
and A is a dimensional constant. It may be noted that this case leads to a class of similarity
solutions with logarithmic shock path given by (42)9. In addition, for the relaxation rate given
by (5) and (33), the similarity considerations imply the following constraints

~20~ /3403 -- 1
/31 = 2 - 8------0' /33 - 2 - 03 (43)
544 V . D . SHARMA and CH. RADHA

Substituting (42) in equations (1)-(4) and using (5), (33) and (43), we obtain the following set
of ordinary differential equations
(U - 1)S' + S U ' + 8 0 S = O,

(U - 1)U' + S P ' - U / 6 = O,

(U - 1)P' + 3"PU' + ( 0 - 2 / 6 ) P + (7 - 1)SQ, = 0,

(U - 1)~E' - 2E/6 - Q, = 0 (44)

where Q , is the same as in (35) with &c, 7:o and eo given by

~c _~_ crcA2/x 2, Z o = ~a'*~(flS+B4)d-06(]33+~4)-,.2~3

vc "1 ~o , eo = ~
~*~/31+/32
vc ,1A -08(~1+/32)~2Bt
~o •

It is interesting to note that for a nonrelaxing gas (Q = 0) with 0 = 1, the similarity variable, the
shock path and the form of similarity solutions given by (42) together with similarity equations
(44) are precisely the same as those employed by Hayes [12] in analysing the self-similar
propagation of a shock wave in an exponential medium.
For a shock of arbitrary strength, the jump conditions at ~ = 0 are

2 POV2 -- 7P0 (Y + 1)p0 V2

V(0) = - - S(0) - , 08 = 2,
3" + 1 poV 2 ' (3" - 1)p0 V2 + 2 y p o

(2p0 V2 - (7 - 1)p0) E(0) = S a c / 8 2 ' if O'o is varying

P(0) (45)
(T + 1)po V2 ' [0, if Cro is constant'

However, for an infinitely strong shock, the jump conditions at ~ = 0, become

(3' + 1) 2 2
S(0) (3'-1)' U(0)=3"+l, P(0)=3'+1,

f e c / S 2, if O-o is varying
E(0) (46)
L0, if tro is constant."

The system (44) is to be solved subject to the constraints (43) and the conditions (45) or (46)
depending on whether the shock is of arbitrary strength or of infinite strength.

Case IV

When a = a22 = 0, the situation is similar to the preceding case in the sense that it does not
allow for the existence of a self-similar solution in a radially symmetric flow. However, the
plane flow of a relaxing gas involving a shock wave moving at constant speed admits a
self-similar solution; and the corresponding similarity variable and the flow variables have the
following form

p = poS(~), u = VU(~), p = poV2P(~), cr = V Z E ( ~ ) + d ' t ,

Q = q 0 7 , ~), ~ = (x - ~ X o t / A ) / x o , X = Xo(1 + & / A ) ,

V = ~xo/A, p o ( x ) = Pc exp(0(x - Xo)/Xo),

f trc(X - Xo)/Xo + trio, if tro is varying

Oro(X) (47)
1tO'co, if O'o is constant'
 C o n v e r g i n g shocks in a relaxing gas 545

where 77 = PIP, ~ = p d e x p ( - o ' ) and

[(oc6xo/A), if o'0 is varying,

d* /
tO, if (to is constant.
We note that the shock velocity in this case is constant and the density and the vibrational
energy ahead of the shock are varying according to the law (47)9.1o. For the relaxation rate
given by (5) and (33), the similarity constraints in this case for 0 ~ 0 turn out to be

/31 "1- /32 = 0, and /33 + /34 = 0. (48)

It may, however, be noted that when 0 = 0, there are no constraints like (48).
Substituting (47) in the basic set of equations (1)-(4) for m = 0, and using (5), (33) and (48),
we obtain
(U - 1)S' + S U ' + OS = O,

(U - 1)U' + P ' / S = O,

(U - 1)P' + 3"PU' + OP + (3' - 1)SQ, = O,

(U - 1)E' - Q . = 0, (49)

where Q , is the same as in (35) with 6-c = O'coA2/x20, e 0 = ~~.* ~w

1 +f12~2]~lA-2~l
-,o "1 , and "Co=
~.,~a3+a4,.2a,
F'c -~0 ~ a-(2a3+l) • The condition for E at ~ = 1 is given by E ( 1 ) = & ¢ / 8 2, while the
functions U, S and P at ~ - 1 are given by (36)1,2,4 or (37)1,2,3 depending on whether the shock
is of arbitrary strength with a constant density ahead or of infinite strength, respectively. In the
absence of relaxation, (Q = 0), and for a constant ambient density, (0 = 0) it follows from
equations (49) that the flow variables, namely the velocity, pressure and density behind the
shock are constant.

5. I M P L O D I N G S H O C K S

Here, we consider the problem of an imploding shock for which V >> a0 in the neighbour-
hood of implosion, and assume o'0 to be a constant. For the problem of a converging shock
collapsing to the centre (axis), the origin of time t is taken to be the instant at which the shock
reaches the centre (axis). However, so that t-< 0 in (35). In this regard, we modify slightly the
definition of the similarity variable by setting
X = A ( - t ) 8, ~ = x / A ( - t ) ~, (50)

so that the intervals of the variables are - ~ < t ~ 0, X ~ x < ~ and 1 ~ ~ < ~. Thus, the system
(35) is to be solved subject to the similarity conditions (34) and the jump conditions at the
shock

S(1)-3'+1 U(1)= 2 P(1)= 2

3' - 1' Y + 1' 3' + 1' E(1) = 0,

eo62~l p l +~' S 1 - ~ 2 - E
Q. - .Co~2fl3+leflaSfl 4 (51)
and the boundary conditions at m. At the instant of collapse t = 0, the gas velocity, pressure,
density and the sound speed at any finite radius x are bounded. But with t = 0 and finite x ,
~ = ~. In order for the quantities u = ( a X / t ) U ( ~ ) , p = p o ( X ) V 2 p ( ~ ) , p = p o ( X ) S ( ~ ) , t r =
V 2 E ( ~ ) and c 2 = 3"(6X/t)2(P(~)/S(~)) to be bounded when t = 0 a n d x is finite, the entities U ,
P / S and E must vanish. Thus, we have the following boundary conditions at ~ = ~,
U(oo) = O, 3"p(~)/S(oo) = 0, E ( ~ ) = 0. (52)
546 V . D . SHARMA and CH. R A D H A

In the matrix notation the equations (35) can be written as

CW' = B, (53)

where W - - ( U , S, P, E) tr, and the matrix C and the column vector B can be read off by
inspection of equations (35). It may be noted that the system (35) has an unknown parameter
6, which is not obtainable from an energy balance or the dimensional considerations as is the
case of diverging shock waves driven by release of energy at a plane or an axis or a point of
implosion; indeed, it is computed only by solving a nonlinear eigenvalue problem for a system
of ordinary differential equations. For the implosion problem, the range of similarity variable is
1 - ~ < ~. System (53) can be solved for the derivatives U', S', P' and E' in the following
form:
A1 m2 m3 m4
U' = ~-, S' -- -~--, P' = --A' e' - A' (54)

where A, which is the determinant of the system, is given by

A = (U - ~)Z{(U - ~)2 _ "),P/S},

and Ak, k = 1, 2, 3, 4 are the determinants obtained from A by replacing the kth column by the
column vector B, and are given by

+ (y - 1) eo~ZC~l
~ pt~,+
~ l S#2-1 _ E}( U - ~)2,

A 2 = -{SA, + (OS + mSU/~)A}/{(U - ~)},

A3 = - { y P A 1 + OP + 2(6 - 1)P/6 + mTPU/~

eo62~'P~'+1S~:-I - E'~ /
+ (y - 1) ~ t / ~ - - - , j/(U - ~),

A, -- - a [ 2 ( 6 - 1)E eo~Z"Pt3'+lS ~t2-1Tot~

6z3t3P3t3S- E} 8(U -L
1
O
It may be noted that U < ~ in the interval [1, ~), whilst A is positive at ~ = 1 and negative at
= oo indicating thereby that there exists a ~ e [1, oo) at which A vanishes, and consequently the
solutions become singular. In order to get a nonsingular solution of (35) in the interval [1, ~),
we choose the exponent 6 such that A vanishes only at the points where the determinant A~ is
zero too; it can be checked that at points where A and A~ vanish, the determinants A2, A3 and
A4 also vanish simultaneously. To find the exponent 6 in such a manner, we introduce the
variable Z,
Z(~) = (U(~) - ~)2 _ yP(~)/S(~), (55)

which, in view of (54), implies

Z ' = {2(U - ~)(A, - A) - yA3/S + yPA2/S2}/A. (56)

Equations (54), in view of (56), become

dU A1 dS A2 dP A3 dE A4
dZ A~ dZ A~ dZ A5 dZ A5 (57)
 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 547

where
a5 = 2(u - ¢)(a, - A) - 3"A,/S + 3"PA2/S 2

with ~ given by (55) in the form

= U + {Z + 3"P/S} ire.

6. NUMERICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We integrate the equations (57) from the shock Z = Z(1) to the singular point Z = 0, by
choosing a trial value of 8, and compute the values of U, S, P, E and A1 at Z = 0; the value of 8
is corrected by successive approximations in such a way that for this value, the determinant A1
vanishes at Z = 0. The computation has been performed by choosing eo = 1, ~'o= 0.1, /32 = 0,
/33 = - 1 and 3, = 1.4. The corresponding values of /31 and /34 are computed from (34). The
values of 8, obtained from the numerical calculations and Whitham's rule for different values of
0, ~'o, 3' and m are given in Table 1. The relaxation effects enter through the parameter r0 while
the effects of density stratification become important through the parameter 0. The fact that 8
is always less than 1 shows that the shock wave is continuously accelerated; indeed, the shock
velocity V becomes infinite as X ~ 0, but less rapidly than X -1. We find that an increase in any

Table 1. Similarity exponent 8 for plane and radially symmetric flow of a relaxing gas with eo = 1.0,
fll = f12 = 0 , f13 = - - 1 and for different values of the ambient density exponent 0, the specific heat gas
constant 3' and relaxation time r0

m 3' 0 ro Computed delta Whitham's rule ~4

8

2 1.4 0.1 0.1 0. 706680412292 0. 706381151809 6. 8493318534

2 1.4 0.5 0.1 0.664843933105 0.665882484947 1.9917752115
2 1.4 1.0 0.1 0.615833084106 0.621352773683 1.3761833753
2 1.4 1.3 0.1 0.591332278251 0.597383399886 1.2376180067
2 1.4 1.6 0.1 0.569814071655 0.575194627863 1.1531509906
2 1.4 2.0 0.1 0.544565422058 0.548052671169 1.0818366724
1 1.4 0.1 0.1 0.820983467102 0.820616729736 8.8194867488
1 1.4 0.2 0.1 0.807252998352 0.806373107591 4.8061549350
1 1.4 0.3 0.1 0.793848285675 0.792615508700 3.4677115344
1 1.4 0.5 0.1 0.767043094635 0.766462158968 2.3925845705
1 1.4 0.7 0.1 0.740771278381 0.741979604834 1.9286509322
1 1.4 1.0 0.1 0.704418968200 0.708054294761 1.5803903001
1 1.4 2.0 0.1 0.612085065841 0.614412328421 1.1831200793
0 1.4 0.1 0.1 0.979124877929 0.978928520808 10.7867981646
0 1.4 0.2 0.1 0.959427223205 0.958726730457 5.7885572984
0 1.4 0.3 0.1 0.940600013732 0.939341875251 4.1228294514
0 1.4 0.4 0.1 0.922234420776 0.920725383527 3.2891924833
0 1.4 0.5 0.1 0.904155902862 0.902832459290 2.7879920999
0 1.4 0.7 0.1 0.869058837890 0.869054888776 2.2133284612
0 1.4 0. 8 0.1 0. 852247772216 0. 853096486728 2. 0332903871
0 1.4 1.0 0.1 0.820486612319 0.822875655532 1.7812110703
0 1.4 1.5 0.1 0.752468652725 0.755928946018 1.4473606562
0 1.4 2.0 0.1 0.697963256835 0.699055846903 1.2836299115
2 5/3 1.0 0.1 0.557519763183 0.592797148446 1.2063416114
1 5/3 1.0 0.1 0.650512231445 0.684231885897 1.4627498889
0 5/3 1.0 0.1 0.773044512939 0.809016994374 1.7064134299
2 1.4 1.0 1.0 0.625747589111 0.621352773683 1.4019115416
1 1.4 1.0 1.0 0.714013490676 0.708054294761 1.5994662383
0 1.4 1.0 1.0 0.830880775451 0.822875655532 1.7964578919
2 5/3 1.0 1.0 0.591930494308 0.592797148446 1.3106124627
1 5/3 1.0 1.0 0.685507965087 0.684231885897 1.5412277450
0 5/3 1.0 1.0 0.814117965698 0.809016994374 1.7716767813
548 v . D . SHARMA and CH. RADHA

of the p a r a m e t e r T, 0, m or To ~, causes the similarity e x p o n e n t 8 to decrease, and c o n s e q u e n t l y

an increase in the s h o c k velocity, as the s h o c k a p p r o a c h e s the centre (axis) of implosion.
Analytical expressions of the d i m e n s i o n l e s s flow variables at the instant of collapse of the
s h o c k w a v e at t = 0, X = 0 (t = 0, x @ 0 c o r r e s p o n d to ~ = o¢), w h e r e conditions (52) hold, can

(a) (b)
4.0 [.--- I/ t~ T = oo 0.9
3~',~ ',~ .... ~o°--0-, r ~o=~
3.0' ~ t ~ t ~xx~ 0,70.8 ~ x 0 = 0 " l
0.6 ,

0.4 ///

1o~
15

0.5
~

02~,
0.3

0.1
oo r l { i { l
00 0 ' 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

400 F II TO = oo 0.14 -- T - oo
350 .... 't° = 0"1 0.12 -- - - "too - 0.1

1~ol4-t 'k /;:,.o :~o.o~ I

50 ~ ' - ."~~ - ~"_ _ ' " . , ~ f 2 " / ~ , ~ 002

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

(e)
0.000 - -

g-.
>" -0.005

-[Link]

-0.015
o

.~ -0.020
>

-0.025 I I I I ]
0.0 0.2 0,4 0.6 0.8 1.0

Fig. 1. (a) Pressure, (b) velocity, (c) density, (d) temperature, (e) vibrational energy. Flow pattern;
m=0, 3,=1.4, / 3 2 = 0 , 1 3 3 = - l , F = 0 a n d e o = l .
 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 549

easily be obtained from the equations (54) in the following form.

U ~ ~(8-1)/8, S - ~:o, p ~ ~:o+2(8-1)/~, E ~ ~:2(~-1)/~.

The above relations imply that both the velocity U and the vibrational energy E tend to zero,
while the gas pressure P remains b o u n d e d (respectively; u n b o u n d e d ) at the instant of collapse
of the shock wave if 60 + 2(6 - 1) is negative (respectively; positive). H o w e v e r , the density S at
the time of collapse is infinite; this is in contrast to the corresponding situation of uniform

(a) (b)
0.9 --
2.o [-- ",,\ Xo = oo "CO = oo
/ \x~ .... '~0 = 0.1 0.8 - - - - - ' x 0 = 0 . 1
0.7 - - ~
1.5
0.6
0.5
1.0
0.4
g /
.-g
;> 03 /f ~ =0.5
o.5 0.2
=0.1 I
0.1 ~--
0.0 I r I I I 0.0 I I I I
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
~-]

(c) (d)
100 --
1;0=00 0.14 -- ~0~= ° ° o , _ ,~
. . . . 1:0 = 0 . 1

%
8°t o. 12

[Link]
.... %--~" ~

[--
0.08
,0 = 1.0 E
/ , - = 0.7 0.06 / //~"),~'0 = 0. I
40 //~ = 0.5
g. =0.3
'~ _--0.3 =0.5
0.04 = 0.7
[-
20

0 J I [ I I [Link] I I I I I
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0,8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

(e)
0.000

>

-0.005

.o -0.010
-o_- ; / / \ /
e~
> = 1"0 "--/

-0.015 I I 1 I f
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

Fig. 2. (a) Pressure, (b) velocity, (c) density, (d) temperature, (e) vibrational energy. Flow pattern;
m = 1 , 3 , = 1 . 4 , / 3 2 = 0 , / 3 3 = - 1 , F = 0 and e o = 1.
550 V.D. S H A R M A and CH. R A D H A

initial density, where S remains bounded. Numerical integration of equations (57) for 1 <- f <
has been carried out, and the values of the flow variables before collapse and at the instant of
collapse are depicted in Figs 1-3. The numerical solutions in the neighbourhood of f = co are in
conformity with the above mentioned asymptotic results. The typical flow profiles show that the
pressure and density increase behind the shock wave, while the velocity decreases; this is
because a gas particle passing through the shock is subjected to a shock compression; indeed,

(a) (b)
0.9 --
4°~x k~k x .... ~=oo
1:0=0.1 ~o=~

04,[Link]._ - - - - - ' x ° = 0 ' l

>
2.5 I__ "" ,,.~ "xn~x ///r = 1.6
"" "~ xx~ ///~7-- = 1.3
2.o ~ ' - . ' ~ . , . "x~'////r- = i.o

t~
1.5 - _'__
. - . . . . ---~L."'~Cg~ = 0 J

> 0.3 =1.0

1.0

0.5 o,°'
0.0 I I I o.o I I I I I
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

(c) (d)
400 0.14 --
I II I I/ ~ ' t 0 = OO "1;0= oo
_l 0 t~ q .... to = ° . 1
0.12 - - - - - " x0 =0'1 / ~
350
I£I
300 ¢-i _ 0 =0.1--~ /11
> 0.10 = 1.0
"~ 250 = 2.0
g 0.08
~, 200

150
--II~~II"~ x xx '~
8=2.0
= 1.6 0.06
e~
~: ~. = 1.0 0.04
100

50 0.02

o i l I I I 0,00
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

(e)
0.000

>
-0.005
>,

-0.010
-d

-0.015
t,
;>

-0.020 I I I I I
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

Fig. 3. (a) Pressure, (b) v e l o c i t y , (c) d e n s i t y , ( d ) t e m p e r a t u r e , ( e ) v i b r a t i o n a l e n e r g y . F l o w p a t t e r n ;

m=2, T=l.4,/32=0,/33=-l,F=0andeo=l.
 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 551

this increase in pressure and density behind the shock may also be attributed to the geometrical
convergence or area contraction of the shock wave. This increase in pressure and density, and
decrease in particle velocity are further reinforced by an increase in the ambient density
exponent 0. In contrast to the density profiles, which exhibit monotonic variations, the pressure
profiles in cylindrically and spherically symmetric flow configurations exhibit nonmonotonic
variation for values of 0 < 0c, where 0c = 2(1 - 8)/6. Indeed, for 0 -< Oc, the pressure profiles
attain a maximum value, which appears to move towards the point (axis) of implosion as the
shock collapses. However for 0 > 0c, the pressure variations are monotonic like density
variations, and the profiles steepen as the shock converges; the steepening rate of pressure and
density profiles enhances with an increase in 0. However, a decrease in To counteracts, to some
extent, the steepening rate and results in a falling off of the particle velocity, density and
pressure relative to what they would be in the absence of relaxation. As might be expected, the
differences between planar and nonplanar flow configurations are considerable. For plane
waves, the flow distribution is relatively less influenced by the interaction between the
relaxation and gasdynamic phenomena as compared to cylindrical and spherical waves;
however, for imploding shocks, where the changes in flow variables may be attributed to the
geometrical convergence or area contraction of the shock waves, the variations that result from
relaxing gasdynamics are noteworthy. A study of the vibrational energy and temperature
profiles behind the shock indicates sizeable reductions in these quantities. It is noted that a
decrease in r0 causes an increase in temperature in the region behind the shock as compared to
what it would be in the absence of relaxation.
In an implosion problem, the self-similar region decreases with time in proportion to the
radius of the shock front; the effective boundary of the self-similar region is then considered to
be at some constant value of ~: = ~:1- Thus, the mass, M, per unit area (rn = 0), or length

Table 2. Similarity exponent 6 for a spherically symmetric flow of an ideal gas for various values of the
heat exponent 3" and the ambient density exponent 0

0 3' Computed delta Whitham's rule Hafner Guderley

0.0 1.1 0.795968198776 0.789664039981 0.795969778310306

0.0 1.2 0.757140216827 0.754020784915 0.757141814780898 0.757142
0.0 1.4 0.717173361778 0.717287424732 0.717174501488599 0.717173
0.0 5/3 0.688376379013 0.689251262263 0.688376822922543 0.688377
0.0 2.0 0.667046318054 0.666666666667 0.667046070276455
0.0 3.0 0.636411895752 0.629541644003 0.636410594032697
0.0 6.0 0.610340917110 0.590376021590 0.610339147947346
0.1 1.4 0.706680564880 0.706381151809
0.5 1.2 0.712164473534 0.705353053210
0.5 1.4 0.668258676529 0.665882484947
0.5 5/3 0.637298974991 0.637395872760
1.0 1.2 0.672985372543 0.662586858802
1.0 5/3 0.594669113159 0.592797148446
2.0 1.1 0.658860900879 0.638856636966 0.658863419579084
2.0 1.2 0.607337988281 0.590929658126 0.607340726927584
2.0 1.4 0.558805505371 0.548052671169 0.558808169990111
2.0 5/3 0.526383563232 0.520024674990 0.526385934682883
2.0 2.0 0.503395532227 0.500000000000 0.503397525748271
2.0 3.0 0.471065814209 0.470730971340 0.471066925104643
2.0 6.0 0.443045935059 0.442998486019 0.443045860348287
1.0 1.4 0.626676673889 0.621352773683
1.1 1.4 0.619064350000 0.613152081884
1.2 1.4 0.611249366537 0.605165037852
1.3 1.4 0.604450418750 0.597383399886
1.4 1.4 0.597429584960 0.589799344816
1.5 1.4 0.590587875000 0.582405441764
1.6 1.4 0.583917335937 0.582405441764
1.7 1.4 0.574999964811 0.568160185752
1.8 1.4 0.571060745239 0.561295722703

ES 33-4-G
552 V. D. S H A R M A and CH. R A D H A

Table 3. Similarity exponent ,5 for a cylindrically symmetric flow of an ideal gas for various values
of the heat exponent 3' and the ambient density exponent 0

3' 0 Computed delta Whitham's rule Hafner Guderley

`5

1.1 0.0 0.8852473632812 0.8824718185539 0.885248072313105

1.2 0.0 0.8611622802734 0.8597626566338 0.861163023905890 0.861163
1.4 0.0 0.8353226318359 0.8353725933140 0.835323191952911 0.835217
5/3 0.0 0.8156246582031 0.8160435071565 0.815624901431225 0.815650
2.0 0.0 0.8001124267578 0.8000000000000 0.800112351177645
3.0 0.0 0.7756673339844 0.7726610072465 0.775666619473888
6.0 0.0 0.7515630126953 0.7424357681148 0.751561684037836
1.2 0.5 0.8026485061645 0.7970553301253
5/3 0.5 0.7453985717773 0.7443473251129
2.0 0.5 0.7273047542572 0.7272727272727
1.2 1.0 0.7529296167195 0.7428733949459
5/3 1.0 0.6883719325065 0.6842318858978
2.0 1.0 0.6689041662216 0.6666666666667
1.1 2.0 0.7177513122559 0.6982675821675 0.717752980150242
1.2 2.0 0.6717613220215 0.6539635991078 0.671763207572521
1.4 2.0 0.6283397583008 0.6144123284219 0.628341718080387
5/3 2.0 0.5994441223144 0.5890805157217 0.599446006340436
2.0 2.0 0.5790141997337 0.5714285714286 0.579015941151839
3.0 2.0 0.5499990983400 0.5464101615138 0.550166402344383
6.0 2.0 0.5245207309723 0.5234434096551 0.524521537758646
1.4 0.1 0.8209834716797 0.8206167297360
1.4 0.3 0.7941376304626 0.7926155087004
1.4 0.4 0.7815279006958 0.7793194741077
1.4 0.5 0.7694029052734 0.7664621589684
1.4 0.6 0.7577264404297 0.7793194741077
1.4 0.7 0.7464666652679 0.7419796048344
1.4 0.8 0.7355953979492 0.7303156291788
1.4 0.9 0.7249997374415 0.7190126950861
1.4 1.0 0.7147654371895 0.7080542947616

Table 4. Similarity exponent ,5 for a plane flow of an ideal gas for various values of the heat exponent
3' and the ambient density exponent 0

0 3, Computed delta Whitham's rule Hafner Sakurai

6

0.1 1.4 0.979124847412 0.978928520808

0.2 1.4 0.959437250000 0.958726730457
0.3 1.4 0.940793656250 0.939341875251
0.4 1.4 0.923077625000 0.920725383527
0.5 1.4 0.906193017578 0.902832459290 0.906194434228555 0.906191097
0.6 1.4 0.890061473846 0.885621722338
0.7 1.4 0.874614524841 0.869054888776
0.8 1.4 0.859795341492 0.853096486728
0.9 1.4 0.845466762185 0.837713602807
1.0 1.4 0.831848815918 0.822875655532 0.831851098197583 0.831849867
0.5 1.1 0.933538037109 0.930462991752 0.933538960617172
0.5 1.2 0.919548974609 0.916165076945 0.919550178676810 0.919548685
0.5 5/3 0.897585729980 0.894427191000 0.897587227665370 0.897585495
0.5 2.0 0.891824450684 0.888888888889 0.891825965144467
0.5 3.0 0.884393750000 0.881853970395 0.884395214384034
0.5 6.0 0.878668029785 0.876518615387 0.878669394941847
1.0 1.1 0.878345996094 0.869968018475 0.878347525560034
1.0 1.2 0.854406665030 0.845299461621 0.854408639075622 0.854408749
1.0 5/3 0.817425122070 0.809016994375 0.817427518983985 0.817427555
1.0 2.0 0.807805920410 0.800000000000 0.807808347848271
1.0 3.0 0.795426562500 0.788675134595 0.795428917823200
1.0 6.0 0.785898095703 0.780180808861 0.785900282810803
2.0 1.1 0.788139257812 0.769861413392 0.788141533807229
2.0 1.2 0.751368627930 0.732050807569 0.751371388284231 0.75137252
2.0 1.4 0.717696691895 0.699055846903 0.717699788037417 0.717699915
2.0 5/3 0.696577789307 0.679285086818 0.696581002711928 0.696582565
2.0 2.0 0.682639465332 0.666666666667 0.682642686161344
2.0 3.0 0.664838311768 0.651084739626 0.664841431307128
2.0 6.0 0.651214196777 0.639587255659 0.651217111803864
 Converging shocks in a relaxing gas 553

(m = 1) or volume (m = 2) contained in this region is proportional to

M o: px" dx = po x ( l + m ) S(~)~ m dE.

As the above integral with respect to ~ from 1 to ~ is a constant, the mass content in this
region with a finite radius is finite, and tends to zero as X - > 0 , i.e. M - x ~ + m + ° - - > O as X---> 0.
Thus, the density variation ahead of the shock causes the total mass to decrease more rapidly
with time as compared to the corresponding case in which the initial density is uniform.
In nonrelaxing gases (i.e. z0 = o0), where there are no constraints such as (37), we have
obtained the exponent 6 for different values of 3' and 0 for plane and radially symmetric
shocks, in a quiscent perfect gas with initial density which is either constant or decreasing
towards the axis of implosion according to a power law; the results which are given in Tables
2 - 4 compare extremely well with those obtained by Whitham [13], Guderley [1], Hafner [5]
and Sakurai [9].

Acknowledgement--One of us (C.R.) is grateful to the Council of Scientific Industrial Research (Govt of India) for the
award of a Senior Research Fellowship.

REFERENCES

[1] G. GUDERLEY, Luftfahrtsorschung 19, 303 (1942).

[2] Y. B. ZELDOVICH and Y. P. RAIZER, Physics of Shock Waves and High Temperature Hydrodynamic
Phenomena--ll. Academic Press, New York (1967).
[3] R. B. LAZARUS, S l A M J. Numer. Anal. 18, 316 (1981).
[4] M. VAN DYKE and A. J. G U T r M A N N , J. Fluid Mech. 120, 451 (1982).
[5] P. HAFNER, S l A M J. Appl. Math. 48, 1244 (1988).
[6] H. M. STERNBERG, Q. J. Mech. Appl. Math. 23, 77 (1970).
[7] J. D. LOGAN and J. D. J. PEREZ, SIAM J. Appl. Math. 39, 512 (1980).
[8] G. W. GLUMAN and J. D. COLE, Similarity Methods for Differential Equations. Springer, Berlin (1974).
[9] A. SAKURAI, Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 13, 353 (1960).
[10] J. F. CLARKE and M. McCHESNEY, Dynamics of Relaxing Gases. Butterworths, London (1976).
[11] W. A. SCOTT and N. H. JOHANNESEN, Spherical nonlinear wave propagation in a vibrationally relaxing gas.
Proc. R. Soc. Lond.-Ser. A 382, 103 (1982).
[12] W. D. HAYES, J. Fluid Mech. 32, 305 (1968).
[13] G. B. WHITHAM, Linear and Nonlinear Waves. Wiley, New York (1974).

(Received 15 June 1994; accepted 18 July 1994)