Shock–Discharge Interaction Model Extended into the Third Dimension

Abstract

This work is an addition to the previously developed two-dimensional model of the shock–plasma interaction, extending it into the third dimension. The model can trace the evolution of the state of the hypersonic flow and the shock front refracted at a thermal discontinuity. The advantages of using the spherical coordinate system for this type of problem include increased transparency in interpreting the solution and a shortened calculation procedure, because all the changes to the front are reduced to one distortion component. Although the vorticity generation triggered at the interface is a consequence of the refraction and tied to the steep changes in the front, it is shown here that this is not because of an instant parameter jump at the interface due to refraction itself.