Experimental investigation of the shock wave interaction with a spherical gas inhomogeneity

Abstract

The interaction of a shock wave with a spherical gas inhomogeneity (soap bubble) is experimentally investigated using a high speed camera shadowgraph diagnostic. Negative, close to zero, and positive density jumps across the bubble interface are studied for weak incident shock waves. For each case, the bubble length and height evolutions have been determined, as well as the generated vortex diameter and pair spacing from only one run. We point out that in all cases, after the shock bubble compression phase, the bubble and surrounding gaseous mixing length is linear with time.