Abstract:
Finite-fringe interferograms produced for axisymmetric shock wave flows are analyzed by Fourier
transform fringe analysis and an Abel inversion method to produce density field data for the validation
of numerical models. For the Abel inversion process, we use basis functions to model phase data from
axially-symmetric shock wave structure. Steady and unsteady flow problems are studied, and compared
with numerical simulations. Good agreement between theoretical and experimental results is obtained
when one set of basis functions is used during the inversion process, but the shock front is smeared when
another is used. This is because each function in the second set of basis functions is infinitely differentiable,
making them poorly-suited to the modelling of a step function as is required in the representation of a
shock wave.
