264 CHAPTER 14. OBLIQUE SHOCK
Furthermore, only in some cases when D = 0 does the solution have a physical
meaning. Hence, the solution in the case of D = 0 has to be examined in the light of
other issues to determine the validity of the solution.
When D < 0, the three unique roots are reduced to two roots at least for the
steady state because thermodynamics dictates
11
that. Physically, it can be shown that
the first solution(14.23), referred sometimes as a thermodynamically unstable ro ot,
which is also related to a decrease in entropy, is “unrealistic.” Therefore, the first
solution does not o ccur in reality, at least, in steady–state situations. This root has
only a mathematical meaning for steady–state analysis
12
.
These two roots represent two different situations. First, for the second root, the
shock wave keeps the flow almost all the time as a supersonic flow and it is referred to
as the weak solution (there is a small section that the flow is subsonic). Second, the
third root always turns the flow into subsonic and it is referred to as the strong solution.
It should be noted that this case is where entropy increases in the largest amount.
In summary, if a hand moves the shock angle starting from the deflection angle and
reaching the first angle that satisfies the boundary condition, this situation is unstable
and the shock angle will jump to the second angle (root). If an additional “push” is
given, for example, by additional boundary conditions, the shock angle will jump to
the third root
13
. These two angles of the strong and weak shock are stable for a two–
dimensional wedge (see the appendix of this chapter for a limited discussion on the
stability
14
).
11
This situation is somewhat similar to a cubical body rotation. The cubical body has three sym-
metrical axes which the body can rotate around. However, the body will freely rotate only around two
axes with small and large moments of inertia. The body rotation is unstable around the middle axes.
The reader can simply try it.
12
There is no experimental or analytical evidence, that the author has found, showing that it is
totally impossible. The “unstable” terms can be thermo dynamically stable in unsteady case. Though,
those who are dealing with rapid transient situations should be aware that this angle of oblique shock
can exist. There is no theoretical evidence that showing that in strong unsteady state this angle is
unstable. The shock will initially for a very brief time transient in it and will jump from this angle to
the thermodynamically stable angles.
13
See the discussion on the stability. There are those who view this question not as a stability
equation but rather as under what conditions a strong or a weak shock will prevail.
14
This material is extra and not recommended for standard undergraduate students.