condensation shock wave

condensation shock wave

[‚kän·dən′sā·shən ′shäk ‚wāv]

(fluid mechanics)

A sheet of discontinuity associated with a sudden condensation and fog formation in a field of flow; it occurs, for example, on a wing where a rapid drop in pressure causes the temperature to drop considerably below the dew point.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.