DescriptionRecent experiments have demonstrated the capability of pulsed microwave energy deposition for drag reduction in supersonic flows. The principal mechanism of this phenomenon is the interaction of the hot filaments generated by the microwave energy pulse with the shock system formed by the aerodynamic body. In this work, the filament is modeled as a thin fluid region of high temperature. The interaction of the filament(s) with a cylindrical body at Mach number 1.89 is examined using the unsteady Euler equations. Two filament structures are considered, namely, 1) an infinitely long filament, and 2) a periodic train of finite filaments (at different frequencies). The development of the flow structure during the interaction is investigated. Furthermore, the drag reduction effectiveness and efficiency of the process of the interaction of the microwave filament(s) with the cylindrical shock layer for each case are studied.