Weak discontinuities in non-equilibrium flows

Abstract

The present paper deals with the propagation of a weak discontinuity along bi-characteristics of a hyperbolic system governing 3-dimensional arbitrary motion of a relaxing fluid undergoing chemical transformations. The growth and decay properties of a weak discontinuity headed by wave fronts of arbitrary shape of general class of relaxing fluids have been analytically solved and interpreted. The two fundamental theorems on the global behaviour of the time-dependent wave amplitude of a weak discontinuity has been concluded. © 1987 D. Reidel Publishing Company.