Studies to Improve Environmental Assessments of Sonic Booms Produced during Air Combat Maneuvering
Abstract
Fighter aircraft, when engaged in air-to-air combat training maneuvers where supersonic flight is permitted, produce sonic booms. Definition of the noise environment at locations on the ground below these maneuver areas must rely on statistical descriptions of aircraft operating parameters and geographic location. This report develops distribution functions for pertinent parameters for different fighter airplanes by analysis of tracking data obtained by Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation at supersonic military operating areas associated with Luke and Nellis Air Force Bases. Next a variety o f pressure- time histories produced at ground microphone positions by sonic booms produced by an F-104 in a early NASA study were analyzed to obtain A-weighted and C-weighted sound levels. Particular attention was paid to the difference between peak unweighted overpressure, when expressed in decibels, and frequency-weighted sound exposure levels for sonic booms near a caustic produced by focusing during accelerated maneuvers, and as lateral cutoff conditions are approached.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA138254
Entities
People
- William J. Galloway
Organizations
- BBN Technologies