Computational study of shock wave control by pulse energy deposition

We have developed a computational code based on the axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations with thermochemical kinetics for assessing wave drag reduction and other effects in pulse-energy deposition ahead of a bow shock by means of full simulations from generation of a laser-induced blast wave to interaction with the bow shock. Thermochemical nonequilibrium computations can reproduce the process of blast wave formation with laser ray tracing, and the computed low-density core inside the blast wave has a teardrop-like shape, depending on the laser input condition. The flowfield interacting with a bow shock formed in Mach 5 flow was computed. The result suggests that the shape of the low-density core affects the resultant wave drag, and parameters of an incident laser beam should be taken into account in exploring the optimal condition of the proposed wave-drag scheme.