Perturbations of Plane Blast Waves

Abstract
The disturbance of a plane blast wave by surface ripples is examined. A thin sheet approximation to the geometry makes it possible to obtain a set of ordinary differential equations which describe the sheet motion. Numerical solutions of these equations show that the ripples grow rapidly at first but are eventually limited in amplitude, within the linearized theory. A variety of types of oscillation are sustained. Since the thin sheet model breaks down at large times for finite wavelengths, the question of stability of the plane blast wave for finite wavelengths cannot yet be solved. However, for infinite wavelengths, the sheet model proves to remain valid, and is found to be weakly unstable.

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