A revised index of mathematical tables for compressible flow

Abstract

This revision of the original 'Index of Mathematical Tables for Compressible Flow' by A. O. L. Atkin (A.R.C. 9893, August, 1946) has been prepared at the request of the Fluid Motion Sub-Committee of the Aeronautical Research Council. It contains information of all the relevant tables known to the author, which can be obtained by workers outside the establishment of origin. The purpose of the index is to make available to workers in the field of compressible flow a reference from which they may trace a tabulation of any function they require, if it exists. It is also hoped that it may help to prevent waste of effort by unnecessary duplication of tables. The first revision of this Index by the present author in June, 1948, showed that there were in existence tabulations of most of the functions required by workers in this field. These tabulations were, however, scattered throughout a large number of reports, some of which were not easily accessible. As a consequence of this, it was often necessary to use an inferior table or do without. Furthermore, there was no guarantee of the accuracy of t~he Various tables, and there was good reason to be suspicious of some of the tables that would have been the most useful if they had been accurate. It was recommended that a book of collected tables should be prepared, and the Compressible Flow Tables Panel of the Aeronautical Research Council was set up to do this. The book together with a companion volume of graphs, is to be published by the Clarendon Press. In preparing for the book a number of mistakes were found in the tables listed in this Index, but no systematic checks were made. There seems little point in listing here the few mistakes found--it is sufficient to offer a warning.