Collision of supersonic flows in vacuum and ambient space

Based on numerical Monte Carlo simulation, the collision of plane-parallel supersonic flows in vacuum and ambient space is studied. The study of the transonic zone of a plane source instantaneously switched on in vacuum made it possible to establish the regular features of the flow parameters in the critical cross section and the validity of using gas-dynamic dependences obtained in the continuum approach for simulating gas exhaustion. Evolution of the structure of a compressed shock layer arising in the region of flow collision is studied. It is found that a collision of flows in the ambient space leads to a more significant increase in temperature in the compressed layer than in the case of a collision in vacuum.