Page 12 - Aerotech News and Review May 5 2017

NASA workshop helps educators explain sonic booms
by Linda KC Reynolds
staff writer
Sonic booms may be sweet music to many around the Antelope Valley. However, not everyone across the coun- try appreciates their windows and pets getting rattled by shock waves. Some- one living in a supersonic corridor may experience 15-30 booms a day.
NASA aerodynamics engineer Larry J. Cliatt II lectured educators during a NASA Armstrong Education Work- shop, “Seeing Sound,” at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, Calif.
He presented ways engineers are de- veloping supersonic airplanes that can break the speed of sound, while dimin- ishing the sonic boom.
Schlieren images provide a unique glimpse of the shape of shock waves created by supersonic
jet aircraft. Engineers
can use this information to design sleeker, quieter supersonic aircraft.
“I like sonic booms, but 30 a day would be a lot,” confessed Cliatt. Speeds are now limited to 0.9 Mach over land. “If we can double that, we would go from Los Angeles to New York in about two hours instead of four or five.”
Using Schlieren photography, previ- ously invisible shock waves produced by aircraft can now be seen. Engineers are using those images to design air- craft for smoother and quieter aero- dynamics and changing wing shapes that will disperse the sound energy before it hits the earth — preventing or lessening sonic booms. NASA and Lockheed Martin have teamed up to build a quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) X-Plane that will make flight
greener and quieter.
Sonic software used on current gen-
eration supersonic aircraft helps pilots to place booms in specific locations, away from populated areas. Chemi-
cal compounds change at fast speeds, so the aircraft must also be very heat resilient.
At the workshop, teachers used sim- ple objects such as a balloon, PVC and
a laser — light to see how sound waves can be seen. Bringing experiments back to the classroom exposes students to aerodynamics, sound engineering and math in a fun and logical way.
Photograph by Linda KC Reynolds
NASA photograph
Teachers use simple objects to produce sound waves that can be seen when using a laser light beam during a NASA education workshop at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, Calif. NASA and Lockheed are using Schlieren photography to see how they can lessen the noise produced by supersonic aircraft. The workshop, conducted by education specialist Barbie Buckner, was held at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s Office of Education’s Resource Center located at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, Calif.
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