A rate-of-strain-based method of hydrodynamic flow analysis: identification of discontinuities, compression–rarefaction and shear waves

We present an original method for recognition of different types of hydrodynamic discontinuities such as shock fronts and tangential discontinuities, smooth types of flows such as rarefaction waves, and their intensities simultaneously. The method is based on invariants of a strain velocity tensor of hydrodynamic flow. We demonstrate the advantages of this new technique by way of giving an example of a supersonic turbulence produced by a blast wave from a point explosion propagating in a ‘cloudy’ inhomogeneous medium. Graphical Abstract