Fri, Dec 09, 2011
Edwards AFB Residents Volunteer To Be Guinea Pigs
Generally speaking, it's against the law to make supersonic
flights over populated areas, where the resulting sonic booms annoy
residents and, in severe cases, can break windows. But NASA and the
aviation industry are studying technology that will reduce the
impact of sonic booms, which could one day clear the way for
supersonic coast-to-coast airline flights.
NASA reports its Dryden Flight Research Center recently
completed the latest quiet sonic boom research study at Edwards Air
Force Base. The Waveforms and Sonic boom Perception and Response
project, or WSPR, gathered data from more than 100 residents of the
base, who volunteered to provide their individual attitudes toward
sonic booms produced by aircraft in supersonic flight over
Edwards.
One of the instruments used in the project is called SNOOPI
(pictured), short for Supersonic Notification of OverPressure
Instrumentation. (The acronym is a play on words. The device is
enclosed in a commercial doghouse.) SNOOPI records local sonic
booms by date, time and intensity, 24/7. Participants used a
standard questionnaire to provide information every time they heard
any sonic boom while at home.
The research is interesting, but it seems reasonable to ask
whether results obtained from people who choose to live at an air
force base will be representative of, say, Santa Monica. Edwards
AFB is probably one of only a few places where a sonic boom causes
residents to exclaim, "cool!"
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