Flow Regime

M<1, Subsonic M>1, Supersonic

0.8<M<1.2, Transonic M>5, Hypersonic
M=1, Sonic
Shockwave and Expansion waves
What is a Shockwave?
A thin region where large changes in temperature, pressure and velocity happen and
where transport phenomena of momentum and energy are important.
The thickness of the shocks is comparable to the mean free path of the gas molecules in
the flow field.
When the incoming stream is subsonic, and the molecules far upstream of the cylinder
get information about the presence of the cylinder through the signals which travel with speed
of sound well in advance before reaching the cylinder. Therefore, the molecules orient
themselves in order to flow around the cylinder as shown.

Subsonic Supersonic
But when the incoming stream is supersonic, the molecules travel faster than the signals
and there is no possibility that they will be informed of the presence of the cylinder, before they
reach the cylinder. Also, the reflected signals from the cylinder face tend to coalesce (merge) at
a short distance ahead of the cylinder. Their coalescence forms a thin compression front called
shock wave.
Normal Shockwave
Shockwaves that occur in a plane normal to the direction of the flow. The flow process
through the shockwave is highly irreversible and cannot be approximates as isentropic.
Supersonic flow over a corner

Mach wave
Small disturbances created by a slender body in a supersonic flow that will propagate
away. Consists of small isentropic variations in ρ, V, P, h, and are loosely analogous to the water waves
sent out by a speed boat.

Mach waves appear stationary with respect to the object generating them, but when
viewed relative to the still air, they are in fact indistinguishable from sound waves, and their
normal direction speed of propagation is equal to the speed of sound.
Mach angle

𝑎𝑡
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜇 =
𝑉𝑡
1
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜇 =
𝑀
1
𝜇 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 ( )
𝑀
Where:
𝜇 = 𝑀𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
Problem Solving
1. A projectile is travelling at Mach 4 at standard sea level. What is its velocity?
2. What is the Mach angle formed by the projectile in problem number 1?
3. A slender supersonic aircraft flies horizontally at 3000 m altitude at a constant velocity of
800 m/s. the aircraft passes an observer. How much time elapses after it has passed over
the observer before the latter hears the noise from the aircraft?
Solution
1. Given:
𝑀=4
Solution:
𝑉
𝑀=
𝑎
𝑉
𝑀=
√𝑘𝑅𝑇
𝑀2 (𝑘𝑅𝑇) = 𝑉 2
42 (1.4(287.08)(288.16)) = 𝑉 2
𝒎
𝑽 = 𝟏𝟑𝟔𝟏. 𝟐𝟔𝟒
𝒔
2. Given:
𝑀=4
Solution:
1
𝜇 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 ( )
𝑀
1
𝜇 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 ( )
4
𝝁 = 𝟏𝟒. 𝟒𝟕𝟖°
3. Given:
ℎ = 3000𝑚
𝑚
𝑉 = 800
𝑠
Solution:
𝑉
𝑀= , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒: 𝑎 = √𝑘𝑅𝑇
𝑎
𝑇 = 𝑇0 + 𝜆(ℎ)
𝐾
𝑇 = 288.16𝐾 + (−0.0065 ) (3000𝑚)
𝑚
 𝑇 = 268.66𝐾 → 𝐴

𝑎 = √𝑘𝑅𝑇

𝐽
𝑎 = √(1.4) (287.08 ) (𝐴) , 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒: 𝐴 = 268.66𝐾
𝑘𝑔(𝐾 )

𝑚
𝑎 = 328.600 →𝐵
𝑠

𝑉
𝑀=
𝑎
𝑚
800 𝑠
𝑀= 𝑚
328.600 𝑠

𝑀 = 2.435 → 𝐶

1
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜇 =
𝑀
1
𝜇 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1
2.435
𝜇 = 24.252° → 𝐷

(Figure for problem no. 3)

 ℎ
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜇 =
𝑉𝑡
ℎ
𝑡=
𝑉𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜇
3000𝑚
𝑡= 𝑚
(800 𝑠 ) tan 24.252°

𝒕 = 𝟖. 𝟑𝟐𝟒 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒔