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Re: Sonic Booms and the Reactions
Posted: 14 Jan 2021, 19:39
by Kevin Farnell
Nigel H-J wrote: ↑14 Jan 2021, 13:51
For some reason I always thought that an aircraft breaking the sound barrier was followed by 2 bangs and not just the one!!
Nigel.
I believe that you get 2 bangs when travelling above Mach 2 (and 3 bangs above Mach 3). The speed of sound in air at atmospheric pressure is approx 760mph. So that is the fastest that the air particles can move freely. If you force an aircraft through the air faster than that, it sets up a shock wave hence the BOOM! If you travel above Mach 2 a second shock wave is created resulting in a second BOOM.
Kevin
Re: Sonic Booms and the Reactions
Posted: 14 Jan 2021, 21:58
by Tako_Kichi
According to Wikipedia (short form): The "boom" is experienced when there is a sudden change in pressure; therefore, an N-wave causes two booms – one when the initial pressure-rise reaches an observer, and another when the pressure returns to normal. This leads to a distinctive "double boom" from a supersonic aircraft.
A lot more info can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_boom