Departures from the linear equation for vibrational relaxation in shock waves in oxygen and carbon dioxide

Abstract

The detailed structure of the relaxation region in shock waves in oxygen was investigated using Blackman's experimental results. Oxygen was found to display a behaviour similar in many ways to that found previously for carbon dioxide with the relaxation frequency, as defined by the simple relaxation equation, depending on the departure from equilibrium as well as on temperature. The previous results for carbon dioxide were further analysed by means of a separate relaxation equation for each mode.