N-wave

In fluid dynamics, an N-wave refers to a finite-amplitude traveling wave in which a compression wave is followed by a rarefaction (or expansion wave).^[1] In the inviscid limit, the N-wave consists of two shock waves, namely a compression shock wave, followed a rarefaction shock wave; a rarefaction shock wave on its own is not possible, except some special cases.^[2]^[3]^[4]

References

^ Whitham, Gerald Beresford. Linear and nonlinear waves. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
^ Zel’Dovich, Y. B. (1946). On the possibility of rarefaction shock waves. Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz, 4(16), 337-363.
^ Zelʹdovich, I. B. (1967). Theory of shock waves and introduction to gas dynamics (p. 0237). US Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, Institute for Applied Technology.
^ Landau, Lev D. "On shock waves at large distances from the place of their origin." J. Phys. USSR 9, no. 6 (1945): 496-500.

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[1] Whitham, Gerald Beresford. Linear and nonlinear waves. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.

[2] Zel’Dovich, Y. B. (1946). On the possibility of rarefaction shock waves. Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz, 4(16), 337-363.

[3] Zelʹdovich, I. B. (1967). Theory of shock waves and introduction to gas dynamics (p. 0237). US Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, Institute for Applied Technology.

[4] Landau, Lev D. "On shock waves at large distances from the place of their origin." J. Phys. USSR 9, no. 6 (1945): 496-500.

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