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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

Sonic Boom Mitigation Through Aircraft Design and Adjoint Methodology

This paper presents a novel approach to design of the supersonic aircraft outer mold line (OML) by optimizing the A-weighted loudness of sonic boom signature predicted on the ground. The optimization process uses the sensitivity information obtained by coupling the discrete adjoint formulations for the augmented Burgers Equation and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) equations. This coupled formulation links the loudness of the ground boom signature to the aircraft geometry thus allowing efficient shape optimization for the purpose of minimizing the impact of loudness. The accuracy of the adjoint-based sensitivities is verified against sensitivities obtained using an independent complex-variable approach. The adjoint based optimization methodology is applied to a configuration previously optimized using alternative state of the art optimization methods and produces additional loudness reduction. The results of the optimizations are reported and discussed.

Rallabhandi, Siriam K.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An Euler code prediction of near field to midfield sonic boom pressure signatures

A new approach is presented for computing sonic boom pressure signatures in the near field to midfield that utilizes a fully three-dimensional Euler finite volume code capable of analyzing complex geometries. Both linear and nonlinear sonic boom methodologies exist but for the most part rely primarily on equivalent area distributions for the prediction of far field pressure signatures. This is due to the absence of a flexible nonlinear methodology that can predict near field pressure signatures generated by three-dimensional aircraft geometries. It is the intention of the present study to present a nonlinear Euler method than can fill this gap and supply the needed near field signature data for many of the existing sonic boom codes.

Siclari, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Comparison of methods of predicting community response to impulsive and nonimpulsive noise

Several scientific, regulatory, and policy-coordinating bodies have developed methods for predicting community response to sonic booms. The best known of these is the dosage-response relationship of Working Group 84 of the National Academy of Science's Committee on Hearing, Bioacoustics and Biomechanics. This dosage-response relationship between C-weighted DayNight Average Sound Level and the prevalence of annoyance with high energy impulsive sounds was derived from limited amounts of information about community response to regular, prolonged, and expected exposure to artillery and sonic booms. U.S. Army Regulation 201 adapts this approach to predictions of the acceptability of impulsive noise exposure in communities. This regulation infers equivalent degrees of effect with respect to a well known dosage-response relationship for general (nonimpulsive) transportation noise. Differences in prevalence of annoyance predicted by various relationships lead to different predictions of the compatibility of land uses with sonic boom exposure. An examination of these differences makes apparent several unresolved issues in current practice for predicting and interpreting the prevalence of annoyance due to sonic boom exposure.

Fidell, Sanford↗
NASA NTRS1996

USAF Flight Test Investigation of Focused Sonic Booms: Project Have Bears

Supersonic operations from military aircraft generate sonic booms that can affect people, animals and structures. A substantial experimental data base exists on sonic booms for aircraft in steady flight and confidence in the predictive techniques has been established. All the focus sonic boom data that are in existence today were collected during the 60's and 70's as part of the information base to the US Supersonic Transport program and the French Jericho studies for the Concorde. These experiments formed the data base to develop sonic boom propagation and prediction theories for focusing. There is a renewed interest in high-speed transports for civilian application. Moreover, today's fighter aircraft have better performance capabilities, and supersonic flights ars more common during air combat maneuvers. Most of the existing data on focus booms are related to high-speed civil operations such as transitional linear accelerations and mild turns. However, military aircraft operating in training areas perform more drastic maneuvers such as dives and high-g turns. An update and confirmation of USAF prediction capabilities is required to demonstrate the ability to predict and control sonic boom impacts, especially those produced by air combat maneuvers.

Downing, Micah↗
NASA NTRS2015

Experimental and Computational Sonic Boom Assessment of Boeing N+2 Low Boom Models

Near-field pressure signatures were measured and computational predictions made for several sonic boom models representing Boeing's Quiet Experimental Validation Concept (QEVC) supersonic transport, as well as three axisymmetric calibration models. Boeing developed the QEVC under a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) contract for Experimental Systems Validations for N+2 Supersonic Commercial Transport Aircraft, which was led by the NASA High Speed Project under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. The concept was designed to address environmental and performance goals given in the NRA, specifically for low sonic boom loudness levels and high cruise efficiency, for an aircraft anticipated to enter service in the 2020 timeframe. Wind tunnel tests were conducted on the aircraft and calibration models during Phases I and II of the NRA contract from 2011 to 2013 in the NASA Ames 9- by 7-Foot and NASA Glenn 8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnels. Sonic boom pressure signatures were acquired primarily at Mach 1.6 and 1.8, and force and moment data were acquired from Mach 0.8 to 1.8. The sonic boom test data were obtained using a 2-in. flat-top pressure rail and a 14-in. round-top tapered "reflection factor 1" (RF1) pressure rail. Both rails capture an entire pressure signature in one data point, and successive signatures at varying positions along or above the rail were used to improve data quality through spatial averaging. The sonic boom data obtained by the rails were validated with high-fidelity numerical simulations of off-body pressures using the CFD codes USM3D, Cart3D, and OVERFLOW. The test results from the RF1 rail showed good agreement between the computational and experimental data when a variety of testing techniques including spatial averaging of a series of pressure signatures were employed, however, reflections off the 2-in. flat-top rail caused distortions in the signatures that did not agree with the CFD predictions. The 9 x 7 and 8 x 6 wind tunnels generally produced comparable data.

pressure signature↗
NASA NTRS2014

Experimental and Computational Sonic Boom Assessment of Boeing N+2 Low Boom Models

Near-field pressure signatures were measured and computational predictions made for several sonic boom models representing Boeing’s Quiet Experimental Validation Concept (QEVC) supersonic transport, as well as for three axisymmetric calibration models. The concept was designed under a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) contract to address environmental and performance goals, specifically for low sonic boom loudness levels and high cruise efficiency, for an aircraft anticipated to enter service in the 2020-timeframe. Wind tunnel tests were conducted on the aircraft and calibration models during Phases I and II of the NRA contract from 2011 to 2013 in the NASA Ames 9- by 7-Foot and NASA Glenn 8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnels. Sonic boom pressure signatures were acquired primarily at Mach 1.6 and 1.8, and force and moment data were acquired from Mach 0.8 to 1.8. The sonic boom test data were obtained using a 2-in. flat-top pressure rail and a 14-in. tapered “reflection factor 1” (RF1) pressure rail. Both rails capture an entire pressure signature in one data point, and successive signatures at varying positions along or above the rail were used to improve data quality through spatial averaging. The sonic boom data obtained by the rails were validated with high-fidelity numerical simulations of offbody pressures. The test results showed good agreement between the computational and experimental data when a variety of testing techniques including spatial averaging of a series of pressure signatures were employed. The two wind tunnels generally produced comparable data.

Durston, Donald A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Sonic Boom

A status of the knowledge of sonic booms is provided, with emphasis on their generation, propagation and prediction. For completeness, however, material related to the potential for sonic boom alleviation and the response to sonic booms is also included. The material is presented in the following sections: (1) nature of sonic booms; (2) review and status of theory; (3) measurements and predictions; (4) sonic boom minimization; and (5) responses to sonic booms.

Maglieri, Domenic J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Development of a computer technique for the prediction of transport aircraft flight profile sonic boom signatures

A new computer technique for the analysis of transport aircraft sonic boom signature characteristics was developed. This new technique, based on linear theory methods, combines the previously separate equivalent area and F function development with a signature propagation method using a single geometry description. The new technique was implemented in a stand-alone computer program and was incorporated into an aircraft performance analysis program. Through these implementations, both configuration designers and performance analysts are given new capabilities to rapidly analyze an aircraft's sonic boom characteristics throughout the flight envelope.

Coen, Peter G.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Sonic Boom: Six Decades of Research

Sonic booms generated by aircraft traveling at supersonic speeds have been the subject of extensive aeronautics research for over 60 years. Hundreds of papers have been published that document the experimental and analytical research conducted during this time period. The purpose of this publication is to assess and summarize this work and establish the state-of-the-art for researchers just entering the field, or for those interested in a particular aspect of the subject. This publication consists of ten chapters that cover the experimental and analytical aspects of sonic boom generation, propagation and prediction with summary remarks provided at the end of each chapter. Aircraft maneuvers, sonic boom minimization, simulation techniques and devices as well as human, structural, and other responses to sonic booms are also discussed. The geometry and boom characteristics of various low-boom concepts, both large civil transports and smaller business-jet concepts, are included. The final chapter presents an assessment of civilian supersonic overland flight and highlights the need for continued research and a low-boom demonstrator vehicle. Summary remarks are provided at the end of each chapter. The studies referenced in this publication have been drawn from over 500 references.

Domenic J Maglieri↗
NASA NTRS1992

Simulations of sonic boom ray tube area fluctuations for propagation through atmospheric turbulence including caustics via a Monte Carlo method

A theory which gives statistical predictions for how often sonic booms propagating through the earth's turbulent boundary layer will encounter caustics, given the spectral properties of the atmospheric turbulence, is outlined. The theory is simple but approximately accounts for the variation of ray tube areas along ray paths. This theory predicts that the variation of ray tube areas is determined by the product of two similar area factors, psi (x) and phi (x), each satisfying a generic harmonic oscillator equation. If an area factor increases the peak acoustic pressure decreases, and if the factor decreases the peak acoustic pressure increases. Additionally, if an area factor decreases to zero and becomes negative, the ray has propagated through a caustic, which contributes a phase change of 90 degrees to the wave. Thus, it is clear that the number of times that a sonic boom wave passes through a caustic should be related to the distorted boom waveform received on the ground. Examples are given based on a characterization of atmospheric turbulence due to the structure function of Tatarski as modified by Crow.

Sparrow, Victor W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Near-field supersonic flow predictions by an adaptive unstructured tetrahedral grid solver

Applicability of a three-dimensional solution adaptive unstructured tetrahedral Euler flow solver about generic models for near-field sonic boom pressure signature predictions is evaluated. Comparisons of computational and experimental data demonstrates the capability of the method for predicting inviscid solutions useful for high speed calculations about simple 3-D geometries. The approach has promising features and results indicate potential for application to more complex configurations. The mesh generation is based on the advancing front technique, and steady state solutions of the Euler equations are achieved by explicit time integration. Spatial discretization uses the Taylor-Galerkin approach; an alternate time integration, based on the Runge-Kutta method, is also included. The solution-adaptive grid procedure is based on either remeshing or mesh refinement techniques. An alternative geometry-adaptive grid procedure has also been incorporated.

Djomehri, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Overview of NASA human response to sonic boom program

For some routes the ability to fly at supersonic speeds over land as well as over water would greatly enhance the time benefit to the passenger. It would also increase the productivity and economic viability of the aircraft. There are no reliable guidelines which can be used to determine a sonic boom exposure which would be acceptable for overland supersonic flight. In addition to the peak pressure of the sonic boom, the detailed shape of the signature will also influence the perception, and therefore the community response, to sonic boom exposures. Initially, the program aims to develop the capability to predict human response to individual sonic booms. This will enable a quantitative assessment of the benefit of 'low boom' aircraft configurations and will also serve to guide the design of the aircraft and its operating conditions. This capability will form the foundation of studies to determine the relationship between sonic boom exposure and community response. Only then will it be possible to assess the feasibility of acceptable overland supersonic flight.

Shepherd, Kevin P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Subjective response to sonic booms having different shapes, rise times, and durations

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to quantify the subjective response of people to simulated outdoor sonic booms having different pressure signatures. The specific objectives of the experiments were to compare subjective response to sonic booms when described in terms of 'loudness' and 'annoyance'; to determine the ability of various noise metrics to predict subjective response to sonic booms; to determine the effects on subjective response of rise time, duration, and level; and to compare the subjective response to 'N-wave' sonic boom signatures with the subjective response to 'minimized' sonic boom signatures. The experiments were conducted in a computer-controlled, man-rated sonic boom simulator capable of reproducing user-specified pressure signatures for a wide range of sonic boom parameters. One hundred and fifty sonic booms representing different combinations of two wave shapes, four rise times, seven durations, and three peak overpressures were presented to 36 test subjects in each experiment. The test subjects in the first experiment made judgments of 'loudness' while the test subjects in the second experiment judged 'annoyance.' Subjective response to sonic booms was the same whether expressed in terms of loudness or in terms of annoyance. Analyses of several different noise metrics indicated that A-weighted sound exposure level and Perceived Level were the best predictors of subjective response. Further analyses indicated that, of these two noise metrics, only Perceived Level completely accounted for the effects of wave shape, rise time, and peak overpressure. Neither metric fully accounted for the effect of duration. However, the magnitude of the duration effect was small over the very wide range of durations considered.

Mccurdy, David A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-20030-DND

Sonic booms from recently proposed supersonic aircraft designs developed with advanced tools are predicted to be quieter than those from previous designs. The possibility of developing a low-boom flight demonstration vehicle for conducting community response studies has attracted international interest. These studies would provide data to guide development of a preliminary noise certification standard for commercial supersonic aircraft. An affordable approach to conducting these studies suggests the use of a sub-scale experimental aircraft. Due to the smaller size and weight of the sub-scale vehicle, the resulting sonic boom is expected to contain spectral characteristics that differ from that of a full-scale vehicle. To determine the relevance of using a sub-scale aircraft for community annoyance studies, a laboratory study was conducted to verify that these spectral differences do not significantly affect human response. Indoor annoyance was evaluated for a variety of sonic booms predicted for several different sizes of vehicles. Previously reported results compared indoor annoyance for the different sizes using the metric Perceived Level (PL) at the exterior of the structure. Updated results include analyses with other candidate noise metrics, nonlinear regression, and specific boom duration effects.

Alexandra Loubeau↗
NASA NTRS2013

Simulator Study of Indoor Annoyance Caused by Shaped Sonic Boom Stimuli With and Without Rattle Augmentation

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's High Speed Project is developing a predictive capability for annoyance caused by shaped sonic booms transmitted indoors. The predictive capability is intended for use by aircraft designers as well as by aircraft noise regulators who are considering lifting the current prohibition on overland civil supersonic flight. The goal of the current study is to use an indoor simulator to validate two models developed using headphone tests for annoyance caused by sonic booms with and without rattle augmentation. The predictors in the proposed models include Moore and Glasberg's Stationary Loudness Level, the time derivative of Moore and Glasberg's time-varying short-term Loudness Level, and the difference between two weighted sound exposure levels, CSEL-ASEL. The indoor simulator provides a more realistic listening environment than headphones due to lowfrequency sound reproduction down to 6 Hz, which also causes perceptible tactile vibration. The results of this study show that a model consisting of {PL + (CSEL-ASEL)} is a reliable predictor of annoyance caused by shaped sonic booms alone, rattle sounds alone, and shaped sonic booms and rattle sounds together.

Rathsam, Jonathan↗
NASA NTRS1971

General remarks

Limitations of overpressure prediction methods for sonic boom configuration research

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2016

Lateral Cutoff Analysis and Results from NASA's Farfield Investigation of No-Boom Thresholds

In support of the ongoing effort by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to bring supersonic commercial travel to the public, the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) and the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), in partnership with other industry organizations and academia, conducted a flight research experiment to analyze acoustic propagation at the lateral edge of the sonic boom carpet. The name of the effort was the Farfield Investigation of No-boom Thresholds (FaINT). The test helped to build a dataset that will go toward further understanding of the unique acoustic propagation characteristics near the sonic boom carpet extremity. The FaINT was an effort that collected finely-space sonic boom data across the entire lateral cutoff transition region. A major objective of the effort was to investigate the acoustic phenomena that occur at the audible edge of a sonic boom carpet, including the transition and shadow zones. A NASA F-18B aircraft made supersonic passes such that its sonic boom carpet transition zone would intersect a linear 60-microphone, 7500-ft long array. A TG-14 motor glider equipped with a microphone on its wing also attempted to capture the same sonic boom rays that were measured on the ground, at altitudes of 3000 - 6000 ft above ground level. This paper determined an appropriate metric for sonic boom waveforms in the transition and shadow zones called Perceived Sound Exposure Level, and established a value of 65 dB as a limit for the acoustic levels defining the lateral extent of a sonic boom's noise region; analyzed the change in sonic boom levels as a function of distance from flight path both on the ground and 4500 ft above the ground; and compared between sonic boom measurements and numerical predictions.

acoustics↗