Observation of Shock Waves Using the Schlieren Method with the HPV-X3

User Benefits

- HPV-X3 offers three times the resolution of conventional models, enabling high-speed imaging at much higher resolutions. - With a maximum frame rate of 20 Mfps, the HPV-X3 is well-suited for observing high-speed phenomena such as shock waves.

Introduction

Shock waves are characterized by abrupt changes in pressure and density and are generated when an object travels faster than the speed of sound or during explosive phenomena. They are important research subjects in fields such as aerospace and fluid dynamics. In particular, accurately characterizing the structure and temporal evolution of shock waves generated around projectiles is a crucial issue directly related to vehicle design, behavior prediction, and safety evaluation. Optical techniques capable of detecting minute changes in refractive index are effective for visualizing such phenomena. Among these, the Schlieren method is widely used to visualize density variations in fluids. In this paper, the HPV-X3 high-speed video camera, which provides three times the resolution of conventional models, was used to observe shock waves generated by a pellet launched from a gas gun using the Schlieren method.

February 24, 2026 GMT