Shock Wave - Terminology

Terminology

Shock waves can be:

  • Normal: at 90° (perpendicular) to the shock medium's flow direction.
  • Oblique: at an angle to the direction of flow.
  • Bow: Occurs upstream of the front (bow) of a blunt object when the upstream velocity exceeds Mach 1.

Some other terms

  • Shock Front: an alternative name for the shock wave itself
  • Contact Front: in a shock wave caused by a driver gas (for example the "impact" of a high explosive on the surrounding air), the boundary between the driver (explosive products) and the driven (air) gases. The Contact Front trails the Shock Front.

Read more about this topic:  Shock Wave