From 1988 to 1993 13 sonic booms of space shuttles approaching Edwards Air Force Base were measured at a site 10 miles west of EAFB, with one to seven different sound level meters for each measurement. Results from five of these measurements are here presented. Maximum differences in measured levels between instruments for the same flight varied from 0 to 6 dB depending on the measurement descriptor and model of sound level meter. The average difference between predicted and measured values was 0.7±1.5 dB. For sound level meters with adequate bandwidth the waveforms measured varied from a near perfect N-wave to a more distorted form reflecting the influence of the varying condition of the atmosphere during propagation to the ground.
REFERENCES
1.
Carlson, H. W. (1978). “Simplified sonic boom theory,” NASA TP-1122.
2.
Crocker
, M. J.
, and Sutherland
, L. C.
(1968
). “Instrumentation requirements for measurement of sonic boom and blast waves—a theoretical study
,” J. Sound Vib.
7
, 351
–370
.3.
Galloway, W. J. (1993). Personal communication.
4.
Sutherland, L. C., Brown, R., and Goerner, D. (1990). “Evaluation of potential damage to unconventional structures by sonic booms,” report by Wyle Laboratories for Human Systems Division, AF Systems Command, Brooks AF Base, HSD-TR-90-021.
5.
Young, R. W. (1986). “Efficient monitoring of aircraft noise near a military operating area,” paper before NATO Conference, Aircraft Noise in a Modern Society, Mittenwald, Germany.
6.
Young
, R. W.
(1998
). “Thirteen sonic booms of space shuttles approaching Edwards Air Force Base, 1988–1993
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
104
, 1847
–1848
(A).
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2002 Acoustical Society of America.
2002
Acoustical Society of America
You do not currently have access to this content.
