Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 March 2006
An analytical expression for the fringe shift in the N-wave is derived from the improved linearized theory for a slender supersonic projectile. From this expression an approximate mapping function is found which gives a simple test for N-wave flow. The validity of the fringe-shift expression is quantitatively confirmed by measuring an interferogram of the flow around a sphere. N-wave flow is shown to exist around a small sphere for r greater than about 70 diameters. Measurements of the shock waves from a sphere and a cone-cylinder show that the shocks assume their asymptotic positions for r > 14 diameters for the sphere, and r > 7 diameters for the cone-cylinder.