On the refraction of shock waves

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Abstract
This paper discusses the refraction of plane shock waves in media with arbitrary equations of state. Previous work is reviewed briefly, then a rigorous definition of wave impedance is formulated. Earlier definitions are shown to be unsatisfactory. The impedance is combined with the boundary conditions at the media interface to study both head-on and oblique shock incidence. The impedance determines the nature of the reflected and transmitted waves, their intensities, and the fractions of energy and power that are reflected and transmitted. The refractive index is also defined and determines whether or not a wave will be refracted, and also helps determine whether the wave system will be regular or irregular. The fundamental law of refraction is derived and shown to be a consequence of the fact that an arbitrary point on a shock or an expansion wave follows a ray path of minimum time between any two points on the path. This is a generalization of Fermat's Principle to media that are deformed and convected by the waves propagating through them.

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