Jim, Does the creation of a sonic boom contribute to an increase in
drag? Or is it a reduction? Or does it drag neutral?
Maybe "drag" is the wrong term.
According to the great and awesome Wikipedia, drag increases in the
transonic region, but I'm not sure if that's a result of incorrect
shape, object length (similar to a displacement hull in water where
speed is related to waterline length), or just compression of the air
in front of the airplane.
If the object is shaped optimally for transonic to supersonic speeds,
does it experience this increase in drag in the transonic region?
And if it is compression, once you pass the supersonic threshold, does
the drag decrease as the shockwave is penetrated? Or are you still
carting it along like a drogue parachute? And as the speed continues
to increase, does the drag continue to increase or does it stabilize?
Or is it increasing exponentially?
--
Ken Norton
ken@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.zone-10.com
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|