Pulsating instability of detonations with a two-step chain-branching reaction model: theory and numerics

The nonlinear dynamics of Chapman–Jouguet pulsating detonations are studied both numerically and asymptotically for a two-step reaction model having separate induction and main heat release layers. For a sufficiently long main heat release layer, relative to the length of the induction zone, stable one-dimensional detonations are shown to be possible. As the extent of the main reaction layer is decreased, the detonation becomes unstable, illustrating a range of dynamical states including limit-cycle oscillations, period-doubled and four-period solutions. Keeping all other parameters fixed, it is also shown that detonations may be stabilized by increasing the reaction order in the main heat release layer. A comparison of these numerical results with a recently derived nonlinear evolution equation, obtained in the asymptotic limit of a long main reaction zone, is also conducted. In particular, the numerical solutions support the finding from the analytical analysis that a bifurcation boundary between stable...