Boom Supersonic’s new aircraft is supposed to be able to fly over continents (unlike the Concorde) because it makes less noise. How is that possible?

Question

I thought the supersonic boom you heard was a continuous sound that was following every aircraft at supersonic speed.

In: 7

Answer 1

All supersonic aircraft actually produce at least 2 sonic booms (or sometimes more) depending on the shape. It’s just that the shape of the airframe causes the shockwaves to merge, so they sound like 1 single loud boom. By altering the shape of the airframe, you can keep those shockwaves separate so you’ll get 2 or more smaller, less loud “thuds” rather than 1 really loud clap.