Abstract: A method for identifying a shock wave includes creating a grid comprising cells; sorting the cells based on their pressure gradients; and sorting the cells based on a negative dot product of their pressure gradients and their velocity vectors divided by the velocity of sound. The number of cells that are refined may be reduced by sorting the cells based on their distances from a shock wave center, and/or sorting the cells based on their mass fractions of a species. A buffer zone of refined cells may be created in front of the shock wave.

Abstract: A system can take transverse measurements of an elongated workpiece. The tem has a base for holding the workpiece oriented in an axial direction. A carriage mounted on the base can move axially. This carriage has a linear measurement device for providing a linear signal signifying the axial position of the carriage. An ultrasonic assembly is mounted on the carriage, and includes a nozzle for projecting a stream of liquid against the workpiece. This ultrasonic assembly also has an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic wave into the stream and for detecting an ultrasonic wave returning in the stream. This ultrasonic transducer has a transducer terminal for exchanging signals signifying the occurrence of ultrasonic waves transmitted into and returning from the stream.

Abstract: A method for and system of measuring the thickness of a component dimension f a sample material. Sound waves are coupled for transmission along a component direction of a sample material and also through first and second reference standards to provide first and second reference thicknesses. As the sound wave signal is transmitted, the time for the sound wave signal to traverse the sample thickness and the first and second reference thicknesses is measured. The thickness of the sample is calculated by calculating the velocity of the signal from the traverse times for the first and second reference thicknesses. Preferable, the calculations are made by a computer, and may be repeated over a period of time to calculate a change of thickness as a function of time.

Abstract: A method for measuring the plating on the inside of a gun barrel, including he steps of providing ultrasonic pulses against a gun barrel to be plated, and plating the inside while monitoring the echoes from said waves from the inside and outside diameters of the barrel with a plurality of transducers aligned to reflect ultrasound waves from the outside and the inside surfaces of the gun barrel. Change in time for the return of waves from the inside surface indicates the change in thickness of plating on the inside of the barrel. The change is calculated by measuring the change in time for the wave to return to its source, and multiplying by the sound velocity.