Hysteresis phenomena in the interaction process of conical shock waves: experimental and numerical investigations

The interaction of two conical shock waves, one converging and straight and the other diverging and curvilinear, in an axisymmetric flow was investigated both experimentally and numerically. A double-loop hysteresis was discovered in the course of the experimental investigation. The double-loop hysteresis consisted of a major one, associated with the interaction between the boundary layer and the wave configuration, and a minor one, associated with the dual-solution phenomenon, which is known to be non-viscous-dependent. The minor hysteresis loop was found to be an internal hysteresis loop of the major one. As expected the numerical Euler calculations failed to detect the viscous-dependent major hysteresis loop but did succeed in obtaining the non-viscous-dependent minor (internal) hysteresis loop. In addition, multiple hysteresis loops, associated with the interaction between the shock wave configuration and the edge of the curvilinear mobile cone were also observed. The non-viscous minor hysteresis loop involved different overall shock wave reflection configurations, and the other hysteresis loops involved the same shock wave reflection configuration but different flow patterns.