NASA has captured 'first' images of supersonic shockwaves colliding in flight.
About:
NASA has captured images of shockwaves from supersonic aircraft, as part of efforts to create a jet that flies faster than the speed of sound without producing sonic boom.
Using the schlieren photography technique, NASA's images show for the first time the interaction of shockwaves from two supersonic planes in flight.
The images were captured during the fourth phase of Air-to-Air Background Oriented Schlieren flights (AirBOS), which took place at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in the US.
The images depict two T-38 supersonic jets from the US Air Force during a test flight from the research center at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Supersonic Booms:
When aircraft fly faster than the speed of sound, shockwaves travel away from the vehicle, and are heard on the ground as a supersonic boom. Shockwaves produced by aircraft merge together as they travel through the atmosphere and are responsible for this boom.
Supersonic booms have led to restrictions on breaking the sound barrier over land.
The ability to fly supersonic without a sonic boom may one day result in lifting current restrictions on supersonic flight over land.
NASA will use the data collected as part of their development of the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology X-plane, which they hope will produce only a quiet rumble rather than a sonic boom.
Dear Student,
You have still not entered your mailing address. Please enter the address where all the study materials will be sent to you. (If applicable).
