The altitude of the supersonic vehicle affects how far sonic booms can travel. They’re heard based on the width of the “boom carpet.” The width ends up being about one mile for each 1,000 feet of altitude, so an aircraft flying at 50,000 feet would produce a sonic boom cone about 50 miles wide.
What is the sound of a sonic boom?
, and sonic boom . A sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created whenever an object traveling through the air travels faster than the speed of sound . Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding similar to an explosion or a thunderclap to the human ear.
(See on a map how far away these places are from each other!) The width of the boom ’carpet’ beneath the aircraft is about one mile for each 1,000 feet of altitude. An aircraft, for example, flying supersonic at 50,000 feet can produce a sonic boom cone about 50 miles wide.
Another common query is “How can you tell if a sonic boom is visible?”.
When v = c, the sonic boom is visible. When v > c, the Mach cone is visible. The sound of a sonic boom depends largely on the distance between the observer and the aircraft shape producing the sonic boom. A sonic boom is usually heard as a deep double “boom” as the aircraft is usually some distance away.
What determines the intensity and width of a sonic boom path?
The intensity and width of a sonic boom path depends on the physical characteristics of the aircraft and how it is operated. In general, the greater an aircraft’s altitude, the lower the over-pressure on the ground. Greater altitude also increases the boom’s lateral spread, exposing a wider area to the boom.
Another popular question is “How wide is the boom on a supersonic plane?”.
Ground width of the boom exposure area is approximately 1 statute mile (1.6 km) for each 1,000 feet (300 m) of altitude (the width is about five times the altitude); that is, an aircraft flying supersonic at 30,000 feet (9,100 m) will create a lateral boom spread of about 30 miles (48 km).
How long does it take for a sonic boom to travel?
Duration of sonic boom is brief; less than a second — 100 milliseconds (.100 seconds) for most fighter-sized aircraft and 500 milliseconds for the space shuttle or Concorde jetliner. The intensity and width of a sonic boom path depends on the physical characteristics of the aircraft and how it is operated.
This of course begs the question “How long does it take for a sonic boom to reach ground?”
One source claimed depending on the aircraft’s altitude, sonic booms reach the ground two to 60 seconds after flyover. However, not all booms are heard at ground level. The speed of sound at any altitude is a function of air temperature. A decrease or increase in temperature results in a corresponding decrease or increase in sound speed.
Can the Concorde’s Sonic Boom be heard on the ground?
The Concorde normally cruised at an altitude of 55-60,000 feet, but wasn’t allowed to fly over populated areas due to the noise it produces. Can the sonic boom of an aircraft at 60,000 feet be heard on the ground? Show activity on this post. Yes, a sonic boom produced at 60,000′ can be heard on the ground.