Normal Ionizing Shock Waves with Equilibrium Chemistry in Hydrogen

The steady-state jump equations for normal ionizing shock waves in hydrogen are solved numerically assuming the upstream and downstream states are at chemical equilibrium. Accurate thermodynamic functions are used to include changes due to dissociation and ionization of the gas. The results show that the solutions with chemistry are qualitatively like the ideal gas normal ionizing shock wave solutions, the number and type of possible downstream states being the same. The analysis for the switch-on shock with chemistry is presented here for the first time. Inclusion of chemical effects can extend the switch-on shock velocity range above the classical limit for an ideal gas. The problem of a steady, current-driven shock traveling in an electromagnetic shock tube is solved. The results agree well with recent experimental evidence and confirm the analytic approximations made by Kunkel and Gross.