Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2006/iii/paper-82/1/b/ii/solution

Use the jump convention , consistent with region 1 occupying . The one-dimensional Lighthill stress tensor is , so . Both bulk stresses are constant. The distributional jump formula for a Heaviside product therefore gives
The Rankine-Hugoniot condition for conservation of mass is , while conservation of momentum gives . Hence a physical moving shock wave also satisfies
This sign can be checked directly. Subtracting a constant reference density does not affect derivatives, and . Thus and , exactly reproducing the coefficient above.

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