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From: desj@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (David desJardins)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Columbia down - one sonic boom
Message-ID: <11537@ucbvax.berkeley.edu.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Fri, 24-Jan-86 18:53:11 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.11537
Posted: Fri Jan 24 18:53:11 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 25-Jan-86 09:40:39 EST
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Reply-To: desj@brahms.UUCP (David desJardins)
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In article <639@ttidcb.UUCP> cushner@ttidcb.UUCP (Jeffrey Cushner) writes:
>In article <2884@randvax.UUCP> jim@randvax.UUCP (Jim Gillogly) writes:
>>Columbia landed at Edwards this morning just before 6 AM, PST.  In Topanga
>>(Santa Monica mtns above Malibu, CA) we only heard one sonic boom.  For
>>each other Edwards landing we've heard two sonic booms, as discussed fully
>>here and in net.space.  So, what's new with the shuttle and why didn't I
>>hear two this time?
>
>Sorry to disappoint you Jim, but I live in Simi Valley, closer by 15 miles
>than you and I heard, very distinctly the normal two booms.  I must say
>that this time I wasn't expecting hearing them since I thought the weather
>would clear in Fla. but I was awake when it flew over.  Perhaps the first
>one woke you up and you only heard the second one.

   If the two sonic booms are generated nearly simultaneously by different
parts of the spacecraft, as would seem likely, then the interval between
hearing the two at the earth's surface would depend strongly on location.
Ahead or behind of the shuttle the sounds would be well separated, but to
the left or right of the flight path the sounds could arrive simultaneously...

   -- David desJardins