Detection and Assessment of Secondary Sonic Booms in New England

This report documents the results of a secondary sonic boom detection and assessment program conducted by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Transportation Systems Center in New England during the summer of 1979. Measurements of both acoustic and infrasonic signals were made. Measurement data and ray trace computations demonstrate that the secondary sonic booms frequently reported by New England residents are created by the Concorde passenger flight off the New England coast enroute to Kennedy Airport in New York City. Signal amplitudes show side fluctuations from flight to flight, from day to day, and with geographic locations. A brief set of measurements made in Applebachsville PA, show a similar day to day variability and are correlated with Concorde flights into Dulles Airport in Virginia.