WEAK DISCONTINUITIES IN A CHEMICALLY REACTING ATMOSPHERE

The growth and decay of a weak discontinuity headed by a singular surf ace of arbitrary shape in three dimensions is investigated in a chemic ally reacting atmosphere, in the absence of dissipative mechanisms suc h as viscosity, diffusion and heat conduction. The combined effects of the disequilibrium due to the chemical reaction and a wave front curv ature on the propagation of discontinuities have been examined and dis cussed. It has been observed that the chemical disequilibrium, with it s Arrhenius rate dependence, causes the compression wave to steepen mo re swiftly that it does in an inert atmosphere. The critical values of the initial discontinuity, and time for shock formation, in cases of diverging and converging waves, have been determined.