Characteristic overpressure of a supersonic transport of given length in a homogeneous atmosphere

Abstract

In recent years many investigations have been made into ways of reducing the pressure jumps across the shock waves resulting from supersonic transports. Lately Warren has stated that a quantity which typifies a sonic bang and in particular with regard to its effect on structures is the characteristic overpressure. The characteristic overpressure is the ratio of four times the running integral of the overpressure to the time interval between the first and last shock in the signature. The work on the pressure jumps across the shock waves and the resulting lower bound values have to be modified when the characteristic overpressure is considered. This note describes a preliminary investigation into methods of obtaining the lower bound values for the characteristic overpressure.