Focusing of shock waves reflected from an axisymmetrically parabolic wall

Computational and experimental studies of shock wave reflection from an axisymmetrically parabolic wall were conducted. The numerical results showed that a high temperature region was achieved by the reflection. In order to verify the results of the numerical calculations, experiments were carried out in a shock tube with argon as the test gas at an incident shock Mach number of 3. The emission intensity profiles were measured to confirm the existence of high temperature region. Measured emission showed the existence of strong radiation at the time and location which were predicted by numerical results. The measured pressure profiles at the side wall of the shock tube almost agreed with numerical results. The experimental results supported the numerical predictions of the existence of a high temperature region.