9 Responses to “The Sound Barrier”

1. #1 by huskysooner
   September 5th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

   Mark Cramer (Aero prof. at Virginia Tech) discusses this and other aerodynamically-induced condensation effects here:
   http://www.eng.vt.edu/fluids/msc/gallery/gall.htm

   In short, this particular condensation phenomenon is associated with high, even transonic, speeds, but their occurrence doesn’t denote a transition to supersonic speed, nor are regions of condensation themselves supersonic (though they are adiabatically cooled regions of low pressure).
2. #2 by lsdrobo
   September 6th, 2007 at 4:07 pm

   Here is another official photo of the breaking of the sound barrier:
   
3. #3 by anon
   September 6th, 2007 at 4:49 pm

   Adiabatically?????????????
4. #4 by huskysooner
   September 6th, 2007 at 9:13 pm

   We’ll let Mr. “Official Sound Barrier Photo” explain it ;).
5. #5 by anon
   September 7th, 2007 at 1:00 am

   Well, it wasn’t in the BIG BOOK. It’s got something to do with pumping up bicycle tires. I also get the same effect on the john in the morning.
6. #6 by Randalf the Grey
   September 7th, 2007 at 1:53 am

   As huskysooner says, this condensation phenomenon, a Prandtl-Glauert Singularity, can also be produced by aircraft flying at sub-sonic speeds in humid conditions, so it doesn’t necessarily denote a transition to supersonic speeds.
7. #7 by Randalf the Grey
   September 7th, 2007 at 1:55 am

   The photos are pretty damned cool, though.
8. #8 by J.J.
   September 7th, 2007 at 8:01 am

   No matter what the reason, Cool photos Robo. Although the Explanations are fascinating and I am learning things, I like the 3rd(I think) chapter in Lt. Gen. Chuck Yeager (Ret.) ‘s book about breaking the sound barrier the 1st time. It was one of the most fascinating reads I have ever read, I could not put it down for the whole chapter. If his CO and the people in W,DC and Wright Patterson had their way It probably would have never been broken.
9. #9 by lsdrobo
   September 7th, 2007 at 1:29 pm

   It has something to do with the way sound stacks up in front of the plane. The same thing causes the sonic boom. Here’s another one.
   

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