METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE PRESSURE TIME HISTORY OF A PRESSURE WAVE AS IT UNDERGOES FOCUSING

A method for determining a pressure time history of a pressure wave originating from a vehicle traveling at or above supersonic speeds when the pressure wave undergoes a focusing due to convergence and intersection with a neighboring pressure wave originating from the vehicle is disclosed herein. The method includes, but is not limited to, solving a lossy nonlinear Tricomi equation with a processor and reporting an output from the processor containing a solution to the lossy nonlinear Tricomi equation. The lossy nonlinear Tricomi equation includes a variable relating to an actual atmospheric dissipative effect in a vicinity of the focusing. The solution includes, but is not limited to, a prediction of the pressure time history of the pressure wave as the pressure wave undergoes focusing. The prediction reflects the actual atmospheric dispersive and dissipative effects.