Physics of Shock Waves and High-Temperature Hydrodynamic Phenomena

High temperatures elicit a variety of reactions in gases, including increased molecular vibrations, dissociation, chemical reactions, ionization, and radiation of light. In addition to affecting the motion of the gas, these processes can lead to changes of composition and electrical properties, as well as optical phenomena.
These and other processes of extreme conditions — such as occur in explosions, in supersonic flight, in very strong electrical discharges, and in other cases — are the fo...