A Two-Wavelength Interferometric Measurement of the Reflection Process in an Ionizing Shock Wave

Abstract

Electron and atom number densities of partially ionized krypton behind the reflected shock waves were measured by using a two-wavelength Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Measurements were carried out for flows with an initial pressure p₁=1.5 Torr and incident shock Mach numbers M_s∼12. Electron and atom number densities in equilibrium were measured to be (2.00±0.09)×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ and (9.5±0.7)×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ respectively. These values are in good agreement with those given by theory.