I have read on numerous occasions that flight paths for the shuttle
have to be considerate of the double sonic booms it causes.

My questions:

What is a double sonic boom (other than two booms) and what causes
the double feature rather than the single boom?

Also, what damage on the ground will a sonic boom cause? Other than
a loud noise and window shaking. Will it damage building
foundations? Will it shatter windows?

Also, are all sonic booms the same or can they vary in intensity?
Some louder than others. Some more intense. Some longer lasting.
Some covering a wider footprint.

TangoMan

victoriatangoman wrote:

>I have read on numerous occasions that flight paths for the shuttle
>have to be considerate of the double sonic booms it causes.
>
>My questions:
>
>What is a double sonic boom (other than two booms) and what causes
>the double feature rather than the single boom?
>
Most sonic booms are double booms. The double booms are created by the
front and rear of the vehicle.

>Also, what damage on the ground will a sonic boom cause? Other than
>a loud noise and window shaking. Will it damage building
>foundations? Will it shatter windows?
>
It can shatter windows, crack walls; foundations are unlikely but possible.

>Also, are all sonic booms the same or can they vary in intensity?
>SOme louder than others. Some more intense. Some longer lasting.
>Some covering a wider footprint.
>
Yes. Obviously the sonic booms amplitude is dependent on distance
(inverse square law).

Also the sonic boom is dependent on the size of the vehicle- Concorde
gives a much bigger boom than a military jet.

Also the shape of the vehicle, a sharp nose gives a much stronger boom
than a round nose.

There was an article about this in New Scientist.

--- In spacesettlers@y..., "victoriatangoman"
> I have read on numerous occasions that flight paths for the shuttle
> have to be considerate of the double sonic booms it causes.
>
> My questions:
>
> What is a double sonic boom (other than two booms) and what causes
> the double feature rather than the single boom?

Double sonic booms do not just occur with the space shuttle. They
occur in all supersonic aircraft. The first sonic boom is created at
the nose of the craft, and the second at the tail. Most military
aircraft are so short, the two booms occur very closely together, too
close to distinguish between them. With the shuttle (and SR71
blackbird), the distance from the nose shock to the tail shock is
large enough that you can hear both booms. Here is a picture of an
F/A 18 Hornet as it breaks the sound barrier; water vapor condensing
in the shock waves makes both "booms" visible:

http://www.vibrationdata.com/space/F18.htm

:) ed