Wave Structures in Ideal Gas Flows with an External Energy Source

Abstract

We consider the propagation of plane waves in an ideal gas in the presence of external sources of energy inflow and dissipation. Using the Whitham criterion, we obtain conditions under which small perturbations of a constant solution are transformed into nonlinear quasiperiodic wave packets of finite amplitude that move in opposite directions. The structure of these wave packets is shown to be similar to roll waves in inclined open channels. We perform numerical calculations of the development of self-oscillations and the nonlinear interaction of waves. The calculations show that under a small harmonic perturbation of the initial equilibrium state, two types of wave structures can develop: roll waves and periodic two-peak standing waves.