Transonic
Encyclopedia
Transonic speed is an aeronautics
term referring to the condition of flight in which a range of velocities of airflow exist surrounding and flowing past an air vehicle or an airfoil that are concurrently below, at, and above the speed of sound
in the range of Mach
0.8 to 1.2, i.e. 600–900 mph. This condition depends not only on the travel speed of the craft, but also on the pressure and temperature of the airflow of the vehicle's local environment. It is formally defined as the range of speeds between the critical Mach number
, when some parts of the airflow over an air vehicle or airfoil are supersonic
, and a higher speed, typically near Mach 1.2, when all of the airflow is supersonic. Between these speeds some of the airflow is supersonic, and some is not.
Most modern jet
powered aircraft are engineered to operate at transonic air speeds. Transonic airspeeds see a rapid increase of drag from about Mach 0.8, and it is the fuel costs of the drag that typically limits the airspeed. Attempts to reduce wave drag can be seen on all high-speed aircraft; most notable is the use of swept wing
s, but another common form is a wasp-waist fuselage as a side effect of the Whitcomb area rule.
Severe instability can occur at transonic speeds. Shock waves move through the air at the speed of sound. When an object such as an aircraft also moves at the speed of sound, these shock waves build up in front of it to form a single, very large shock wave. During transonic flight, the plane must pass through this large shock wave, as well as contending with the instability caused by air moving faster than sound over parts of the wing and slower in other parts.
Transonic speeds can also occur at the tips of rotor
blades of helicopters and aircraft. However, as this puts severe, unequal stresses on the rotor blade, it is avoided and may lead to dangerous accidents if it occurs. It is one of the limiting factors to the size of rotors, and also to the forward speeds of helicopters (as this speed is added to the forward-sweeping (leading) side of the rotor, thus possibly causing localized transonics).
. These clouds remain with the aircraft as it travels. It is not necessary for the aircraft as a whole to reach supersonic
speeds for these clouds to form.
are transonic (S.K. Chakrabarti, ApJ, 1996, v. 471, p. 237), many of the flows also have shocks very close to the black holes.
The outflows or jets from young stellar objects or disks around black holes can also be transonic since they start subsonically and at a far distance they are invariably supersonic. Supernovae explosion is accompanied by supersonic flows and shock waves. Bow shocks formed in solar winds around the earth are a direct result of transonic wind from the sun.
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
term referring to the condition of flight in which a range of velocities of airflow exist surrounding and flowing past an air vehicle or an airfoil that are concurrently below, at, and above the speed of sound
Speed of sound
The speed of sound is the distance travelled during a unit of time by a sound wave propagating through an elastic medium. In dry air at , the speed of sound is . This is , or about one kilometer in three seconds or approximately one mile in five seconds....
in the range of Mach
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
0.8 to 1.2, i.e. 600–900 mph. This condition depends not only on the travel speed of the craft, but also on the pressure and temperature of the airflow of the vehicle's local environment. It is formally defined as the range of speeds between the critical Mach number
Critical Mach number
In aerodynamics, the critical Mach number of an aircraft is the lowest Mach number at which the airflow over any part of the aircraft reaches the speed of sound....
, when some parts of the airflow over an air vehicle or airfoil are supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
, and a higher speed, typically near Mach 1.2, when all of the airflow is supersonic. Between these speeds some of the airflow is supersonic, and some is not.
Most modern jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
powered aircraft are engineered to operate at transonic air speeds. Transonic airspeeds see a rapid increase of drag from about Mach 0.8, and it is the fuel costs of the drag that typically limits the airspeed. Attempts to reduce wave drag can be seen on all high-speed aircraft; most notable is the use of swept wing
Swept wing
A swept wing is a wing planform favored for high subsonic jet speeds first investigated by Germany during the Second World War. Since the introduction of the MiG-15 and North American F-86 which demonstrated a decisive superiority over the slower first generation of straight-wing jet fighters...
s, but another common form is a wasp-waist fuselage as a side effect of the Whitcomb area rule.
Severe instability can occur at transonic speeds. Shock waves move through the air at the speed of sound. When an object such as an aircraft also moves at the speed of sound, these shock waves build up in front of it to form a single, very large shock wave. During transonic flight, the plane must pass through this large shock wave, as well as contending with the instability caused by air moving faster than sound over parts of the wing and slower in other parts.
Transonic speeds can also occur at the tips of rotor
Rotorcraft
A rotorcraft or rotary wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air flying machine that uses lift generated by wings, called rotor blades, that revolve around a mast. Several rotor blades mounted to a single mast are referred to as a rotor. The International Civil Aviation Organization defines a rotorcraft...
blades of helicopters and aircraft. However, as this puts severe, unequal stresses on the rotor blade, it is avoided and may lead to dangerous accidents if it occurs. It is one of the limiting factors to the size of rotors, and also to the forward speeds of helicopters (as this speed is added to the forward-sweeping (leading) side of the rotor, thus possibly causing localized transonics).
Condensation clouds
At transonic speeds intense low-pressure areas form at various points around an aircraft. If conditions are right (i.e. high humidity) visible clouds will form in these low-pressure areas as shown in the illustration; these are called Prandtl-Glauert singularitiesPrandtl-Glauert singularity
The Prandtl–Glauert singularity is the prediction by the Prandtl–Glauert transformation that infinite pressure conditions would be experienced by an aircraft as it approaches the speed of sound. Because it is invalid to apply the transformation at these speeds, the predicted singularity does not...
. These clouds remain with the aircraft as it travels. It is not necessary for the aircraft as a whole to reach supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
speeds for these clouds to form.
Transonic flows in astronomy and astrophysics
In astrophysics, wherever there is evidence of shocks (standing, propagating or oscillating), the flow close by must be transonic as only supersonic flows form shocks. Interestingly all the black hole accretionsAccretion (astrophysics)
In astrophysics, the term accretion is used for at least two distinct processes.The first and most common is the growth of a massive object by gravitationally attracting more matter, typically gaseous matter in an accretion disc. Accretion discs are common around smaller stars or stellar remnants...
are transonic (S.K. Chakrabarti, ApJ, 1996, v. 471, p. 237), many of the flows also have shocks very close to the black holes.
The outflows or jets from young stellar objects or disks around black holes can also be transonic since they start subsonically and at a far distance they are invariably supersonic. Supernovae explosion is accompanied by supersonic flows and shock waves. Bow shocks formed in solar winds around the earth are a direct result of transonic wind from the sun.
See also
- Anti-shock bodyAnti-shock bodyAn Anti-shock body is a pod positioned on the leading or trailing edge of an aircraft's aerodynamic surface to reduce wave drag at transonic speeds .-Wing trailing edge:...
- Subsonic flows
- SupersonicSupersonicSupersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
flows - HypersonicHypersonicIn aerodynamics, a hypersonic speed is one that is highly supersonic. Since the 1970s, the term has generally been assumed to refer to speeds of Mach 5 and above...
flows