Experimental generation of spherical converging shock waves

Spherical converging shock waves with incoming Mach number 1.18 are generated in a conical test chamber fitted to conventional square-section tube. A wave cutter is employed ensure proper transition from the square cylindrical straight pipe installed upstream of convergent section. The incident planar transformed into spherical by use an ellipsoidal membrane acting as gas lens separating two gases different densities. transmitted propagates within section, and accelerates towards apex. trajectory shape both characterized Mie scattering. follows similarity solution proposed Guderley (1942), whose agrees very well numerical simulation Chester-Chisnell-Whitham (CCW) theory for geometry considered. procedure demonstrated here provides potential method future investigations focusing Richtmyer–Meshkov instability geometry.