IONIZING SHOCK STUDIES IN AN ELECTROMAGNETICALLY DRIVEN SHOCK TUBE

摘要

A coaxial electromagnetic shock tube has been used to study ionizing shocks propagating through hydrogen.An experiment is described which produced plane switch-on ionizing shocks.Studies were conducted covering the sub-Alfvenic, trans-Alfvenic and super-Alfvenic regimes.Data is presented that verifies the existence of switch-on fronts in all these regimes, and demonstrates the significant effect of the initial electric field on the shock jump conditions.The results substantiate the theory of normal ionizing shocks developed by Taussig.