A

Note on Shock Waves and

Sedov's Explosion Problem

by

R.ANNOU
Faculty of physics, USTHB, Algeria.
(2005)


I. General

A moving gas, whose thermodynamics properties are defined in terms of
the velocity, density and pressure as functions of space and time, is described by
three differential equations corresponding to the conservation of mass,
momentum and energy,

1) The continuity equation.

(1)

2) Equation of Motion

(2)

or,
0 ) .( = + V +
c
c
I P u u
t
u

(3)

3) Equation of Energy.

( 0 ) . ( ) . = V +
c
c
+ V +
c
c
V u
t
p u
t
c (4)


c / 1 and energy, specific the is = V

The equation of energy may be cast in a more appropriate form, namely,

0 . = V +
c
c
u
t

P
u u
t
u V
= V +
c
c
.

Q u p
u
u
u
t
c c = + + V + +
c
c
] )
2
( .[ )
2
(
2 2
(5)

II. Sound Waves

By using the above mentioned equations, we may show that any
disturbance in the gas will propagate at a certain speed c. Indeed, we linearize the
governing equations to get,

x
u
t c
c
=
c
c
0

(6)
along with the linearized equation of motion,

x x
p
x t
u
s
c
c
c
c
=
c
c
=
c
c
) (
0
. (7)

Combining Eq.(6) and Eq.(7) leads then to a wave equation,

2
2
2
2
2
x
c
t c
c
=
c
c
, (8)
where,
s
x
p
c ) (
2
c
c
= at constant entropy, being the sound speed.

In a plane isotropic flow, one may define invariants called Riemann
invariants along the characteristics: ) . ; . (
1 2
= =

const c const P

}

+ = + =
+
c u
c
dp
u J
1
2

, along c u
dt
dx
C + =
+
: (9)

}

= =

c u
c
dp
u J
1
2

, along c u
dt
dx
C =

: (10)

In the linear limit studied above, the characteristics of the same family
do not intersect. However, in the non-linear limit, where the velocity of the flow
is higher than the sound speed c, the characteristics intersect and the intersections
of characteristics of a same family are interpreted as discontinuities in the flow
variables: we have then a shock wave.
Consider a sinusoidal profile of the flow variables, i.e., u(x,0)o sin(kx).
The wave gets disordered as a result of the non-linear terms in the gasdynamic
equations, already dropped in the linear limit. The crests of the wave propagate
faster than the valleys. The wave steeps and the crest overshoots; which is clearly
an unphysical situation. To avoid this difficulty, we consider a discontinuity to
occur there.












This discontinuity is the front of the shock wave. It is a transition layer of a very
small spatial extent.

Remark: One property that distinguishes a supersonic flow (u>c) and a sub-sonic
flow (u<c) is the following-- any distribution that is generated at any point of the
flow will propagate with velocity, c u v + = . Hence, in a sub-sonic flow, it reaches
all points in the flow,




However, in the case of a supersonic flow, the disturbance can only travel in a
specific cone-like zone.

v
u
c


u is the Mach angle, and M= u/c is the Mach number. On both sides of the
discontinuity, we must satisfy mass, momentum and energy conservation,
namely,

0 0 1 1
u u =
(11)
2
0 0 0
2
1 1 1
u P u P + = + (12)
2 2
2
0
0
0
0
2
1
1
1
1
u P u P
+ + = + +

c (13)

After some algebra one finds,

1
0
1
0
V
V
u
u
=
(14)
1 0
0 1
2
0
2
0
V V
V u

=

(15)
1 0
0 1
2
1
2
1
V V
P P
V u

= (16)

From Eqs.(13-16) we may calculate the jump in the velocity as well as the
internal energy,

2 / 1
1 0 0 1 1 0
)] )( [( V V P P u u =
(17)
) (
2
1 0
0 1
0 1
V V
P P

= c c
(18)
v
u
c
u
In case the gas is considered perfect, the internal energy is given in terms of the
flow variables as,

PV T c
1
1
0

= =

c (19)
Then the equation of what is called the Hugoniot curve, is given by,

0 1
1 0
0
1
) 1 ( ) 1 (
) 1 ( ) 1 (
V V
V V
P
P

+
=


(20)



We get as well,


(21)
1 0
2
1 0 0
2
1
) 1 ( ) 1 (
] ) 1 ( ) 1 [(
.
2 P P
P P V
u
+ +
+ +
=


(22)

0 1
0 1
0
1
) 1 ( ) 1 (
) 1 ( ) 1 (
P P
P P
V
V
+ +
+ +
=


(23)

For strong shocks, one has
0 1
P P >> , and then it is clear that the density will be a
constant,

1
1
0
1
1
0

+
= =

V
V
(24)
0
1
0
1
.
1
1
P
P
T
T
+

(25)
2 / 1
0 1 0
)
2
1
( V P u
+
=

(26)
and
2 / 1
0 1
2
1
)
) 1 ( 2
) 1 (
( V P u
+

(27)

Then if we write D u =
0
the velocity of the shock front, the equations governing
the jump of the flow variables are given below,

) ) 1 ( ) 1 ((
2
1 0
0
2
0
P P
V
u + + =
0 1
1
1

+
=
(28)
2
0 1
1
2
D P
+
= (29)
D u
1
1
1
+

(30)

The velocity acquired by the gas initially at rest being,

D u u u
1
2
1 0
+
= =

(31)


III. Strong explosion in a homogenous atmosphere (Sedov's model)

Consider a perfect gas with constant density
0
, in which a large amount
of energy is liberated in a small volume during a short time interval. The gas
motion is determined by two parameters e and
0
. The only dimensionless
quantity that may serve as the similarity variable is given by,


5 / 1
2
0
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
t W
r

(32)

A given value ,
0
= defines the shock front, so the location of this front is
given as,

5 / 2
5 / 1
0
0
) ( t
W
t R
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

. (33)

Hence the speed of the front is written as,

2 / 3
2 / 1
0
2 / 5
0
.
5
2

|
|
.
|

\
|
= = R
W
dt
dR
D

(34)

The value of
0
is determined by the energy conservation requirement,

}
+ =
R
dr
u
r W
0
2
2
)
2
( 4 c t (35)

We may use a simpler method to determine
0
.
Initially all the gas is within as sphere of radius R, such as, .
3
4
0
3

t
R M = After
explosion, a thin layer will move radially,



We assume,
1
P P
c
o = . Hence the Newtons Law gives us,

1
2 2
4 4 P R P R
dt
dMu
c
t o t = =
(36)
By virtue of Eqs.(29,31) we get,

2 2
3
3 D R
dt
dR
dR
D dR
o =
, (37)
The velocity of the shock front is then given by,

.
) 1 ( 3 o
= aR D (38)

The energy is the sum of the internal energy
T
E and the kinetic energy such as,


2
.
1
4
2 3
u
M
P R
W
c
+

t
(39)

It may be reduced further to yield,

}
) 1 (
1
1
{
3
8
2 2
) 1 ( 6 3 2
0
+
+

=


o

t
o
R a W . (40)

Due to the fact that the energy W is a constant, one finds o to be given by,
Pc
P1
1 0
P P <<

0 ) 1 ( 6 3 = o , (41)

is, that

.
2
1
= o (42)
Putting o in the energy expression allows one to cast a as follows,

2 / 1
2
2 / 1
0
]
) 1 3 (
) 1 )( 1 (
4
3
[ ) (

+
=

t
W
a . (43)

Using the expression for a, we can determine the dependence of R upon t, and
consequently the constant
0
.
Indeed having,

2 / 3
= aR D , (44)

and,

2 / 3 2 / 1
0
2 / 5
0
) (
5
2

= R
W
D

, (45)
one finds,

,
2
5
5 / 1
0
5 / 2
0
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
W
a

(46)

That is,

.
) 1 3 (
) 1 )( 1 (
16
75
5 / 1
2
0
|
|
.
|

\
|

+
=

t
(47)

For instance, in a perfect gas having . 89 . 0 then is constant the ; 2 . 1
0
= =