Re: variations in sonic boom under perfect-unusual circumstances

Date: Mon Jan 15 11:52:38 2001
Posted By: Reyco Henning, Grad student, Physics, MIT
Area of science: Physics
ID: 978827103.Ph

Message:


The short answer is no. The sonic boom is produced when the object moving
through the medium moves at a velocity greater than the speed of sound
*relative* to the medium. The jetliner may move faster than the speed of
sound relative to the ground but not the air it is moving through, hence no
sonic boom.

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