The phenomenon of shock wave reflection was first reported by the distinguished philosopher Ernst Mach in 1878. Its study was then abandoned for a period of about 60 years until its investigation was initiated in the early 1940s by Professor John von Neumann and Professor Bleakney. Under their supervision, 15 years of intensive research related to various aspects of the reflection of shock waves in pseudo-steady flows were carried out. It was during this period that the four basic shock wave reflection configurations were discovered. Then, for a period of about 10 years from the mid 1950s until the mid 1960s, investigation of the reflection phenomenon of shock waves was kept on a low flame all over the world (e. g. Australia, Japan, Canada, U. S. A. , U. S. S. R. , etc. ) until Professor Bazhenova from the U. S. S. R. , Professor Irvine Glass from Canada, and Professor Roy Henderson from Australia re initiated the study of this and related phenomena. Under their scientific supervision and leadership, numerous findings related to this phenomenon were reported. Probably the most productive research group in the mid 1970s was that led by Professor Irvine Glass in the Institute of Aerospace Studies of the University of Toronto. In 1978, exactly 100 years after Ernst Mach first reported his discovery of the reflection phenomenon, I published my Ph. D. thesis in which, for the first time, analytical transition criteria between the various shock wave reflection configurations were established.

This book presents a wealth of images of shock wave phenomena, gathered by the author over the past 40 years. Shadowgrams and interferograms of basic shock-dynamic topics such as reflection, diffraction, refraction, and focusing of shock waves in gases and liquids are sequentially displayed. Though the images themselves are self-explanatory, brief explanations of the experimental conditions are included, so as to facilitate analysis and numerical reproduction of the image data. In addition, the book presents interferometric observations of underwater shock wave/bubble interactions, and highlights the multifaceted applications of shock wave phenomena to medicine and industry. Given its scope, the book offers a unique resource for students and researchers who are interested in shock wave phenomena. However, the content has also been specifically prepared for the benefit of readers who are interested in gas dynamics and medical applications of shock waves, and are looking for reliable experimental images.

This book is aimed to make careful analysis to various mathematical problems derived from shock reflection by using the theory of partial differential equations. The occurrence, propagation and reflection of shock waves are important phenomena in fluid dynamics. Comparing the plenty of studies of physical experiments and numerical simulations on this subject, this book makes main efforts to develop the related theory of mathematical analysis, which is rather incomplete so far. The book first introduces some basic knowledge on the system of compressible flow and shock waves, then presents the concept of shock polar and its properties, particularly the properties of the shock polar for potential flow equation, which are first systematically presented and proved in this book. Mathematical analysis of regular reflection and Mach reflection in steady and unsteady flow are the most essential parts of this book. To give challenges in future research, some long-standing open problems are listed in the end. This book is attractive to researchers in the fields of partial differential equations, system of conservation laws, fluid dynamics, and shock theory.

This edited monograph contains the proceedings of the International Shock Interaction Symposium, which emerged as an heir to both the Mach Reflection and Shock Vortex Interaction Symposia. These scientific biannual meetings provide an ideal platform to expose new developments and discuss recent challenges in the field of shock wave interaction phenomena. The goal of the symposia is to offer a forum for international interaction between young and established scientists in the field of shock and blast wave interaction phenomena. The target audience of this book comprises primarily researchers and experts in the field of shock waves, but the book may also be beneficial for young scientists and graduate students alike.

One of the main reasons for continuing interest in shock focusing is its ability to concentrate energy in a small volume and produce extreme temperatures and pressures in fluids in a controlled laboratory environment. The phenomenon of shock wave focusing leading to extreme conditions in fluids during micro- and nanosecond time intervals is a spectacular example of mechanics at small length and time scales revealing the major properties of shock dynamics including high-temperature gas phenomena. Production of high-energy concentrations in gases and fluids with star-like temperatures and extreme pressures by means of a stable imploding shock is of great interest not only in its own right but also because of the connection to a multitude of phenomena in nature, technology and medicine.

This book was written as a graduate student course--Shock Dynamics. Up to now, the first author has taught this course to the graduate students in the field of Fluid Mechanics, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China for seven times. In the spring semester 1989, during his visit to the United States, the first author taught this course to the graduate students of Department of Mathemat ics, University of Colorado at Denver. At the same time, he gave a series of four lectures on Shock Dynamics to the graduate students of Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder. In 1991, during the first author's visit to Japan, he gave some lectures on Shock Dynamics in Tohoku University, University of Tokyo and Kyushu Uni versity. The dynamic phenomena of shock waves such as propagation, diffraction, reflection, refraction and interaction of shock waves may be studied by using experimental methods, numerical calculations and theoretical analyses. Although the detailed flow patterns of phenomena of shock motion can be obtained by using experimental methods and numerical calculations of solving Euler Equation or Navier-Stokes Equation, for example, the diffractions of shock waves by wedges form various phenomena of reflection--RR, SMR, CMR and DMR, we also need to analyse the process of the formation of shock waves in various phenomena of diffraction, reflection and interaction by using theoretical methods.

The University of Manchester hosted the 28th International Symposium on Shock Waves between 17 and 22 July 2011. The International Symposium on Shock Waves first took place in 1957 in Boston and has since become an internationally acclaimed series of meetings for the wider Shock Wave Community. The ISSW28 focused on the following areas: Blast Waves, Chemically Reacting Flows, Dense Gases and Rarefied Flows, Detonation and Combustion, Diagnostics, Facilities, Flow Visualisation, Hypersonic Flow, Ignition, Impact and Compaction, Multiphase Flow, Nozzle Flow, Numerical Methods, Propulsion, Richtmyer-Meshkov, Shockwave Boundary Layer Interaction, Shock Propagation and Reflection, Shock Vortex Interaction, Shockwave Phenomena and Applications, as well as Medical and Biological Applications. The two Volumes contain the papers presented at the symposium and serve as a reference for the participants of the ISSW 28 and individuals interested in these fields.