Problem of the Sonic Boom for Future High-Speed Transport Aircraft

摘要

The sonic boom origin and propagation in the atmosphere are reviewed. The maineffects on structures and living creatures are described. The only appreciable nuisance resulting from the boom is due to the startle reaction. No acceptability threshold was defined up until now. However, the startle reactions appear to become rare for boom intensities less than 50 pascals or for booms having a low intensity forward shock front followed by progressive compression. The following studies are recommended to be carried out: on the startle reactions so as to define tolerable booms of unconventional shapes; and on the aerodynamics of the shapes of aircraft liable to generate such booms.