Collected Works of H. S. Tsien (1938-1956)

Interaction between Parallel Streams of Subsonic and Supersonic Velocities*

H.S. Tsien^** and M. Finston^***

(Massachusetts Insittute of Technology)

Summary

An essential feature of the interaction phenomena between the compression shock and the boundary layer is the coexistence of parallel streams of subsonic and supersonic velocities. The compression disturbance of the shock is propagated “ahead” of the shock through the subsonic portion of the boundary layer, and “softening” of the shock takes place. It is the purpose of the present paper to demonstrate definitely this essential feature of boundary layer-shock interaction by using a simplified model. The boundary layer is replaced by a uniform subsonic stream of finite width, bounded on one ...