The impact of relaxation on isothermal acoustic traveling waves: A new solvable model based on Navier–Stokes–Maxwell theory

Abstract

An analysis of isothermal acoustic traveling waves in a particular sub-class of Maxwell fluids, specifically, those which behave like perfect gases and wherein the shear viscosity is proportional to the square of the mass density, is presented. Exact solutions are derived and analyzed, shock thickness results are computed, and the thermodynamic consistency of the isothermal assumption is verified vis-à-vis the Mach number values considered. It is shown that, within the range where both yield dispersed shock profiles, the Maxwell case leads to significantly smaller shock thicknesses and more asymmetric solution profiles than those admitted by the corresponding Newtonian (fluid) case.