涌潮与激波

Tidal bore and shock wave

100年前,人们发现描述浅水和气体两种流动的方程有相同的形式,涌潮与激波有诸多类似性质,涌潮的研究因此获得很大进步。进一步研究后,逐渐了解两种现象的差别,于是,对两者的认识上升到新的阶段。回顾涌潮研究这段历程,了解到在探索新领域、新现象之初,可以用类比作为工具,借助于其他学科的方法推进对新现象的研究,到一定程度后,应该及时采用与已知现象相比较的方法,着重研究新现象的特殊性。通过"求同探异",对新现象的认识必将更加全面、深入。

100 years ago, the mathematical formulations of describing flows in shallow water and air were found to be the same sometimes, and there were quite a few similarities between tidal bore and shock wave. Consequently, research on tidal bore had a great leap forward. Later, differences between the two phenomena were thoroughly analyzed, uplifting the understanding of the tidal bore to a new level. In reviewing the process of tidal bore studies, we come to know that analog can be used as a tool at the initial stage of exploring a new field or phenomenon; then the study can be pushed forward with the methods used in other disciplines; to a certain extent, comparison should be made timely between the known phenomenon and the new one, focusing on the particularities of the new one. Through seeking common ground and exploring differences, the understanding of a new phenomenon will be more comprehensive and thorough.