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Transonic (or transsonic) flow is air flowing around an object at a speed that generates regions of both subsonic and supersonic airflow around that object. [1] The exact range of speeds depends on the object's critical Mach number, but transonic flow is seen at flight speeds close to the speed of sound (343 m/s at sea level), typically between Mach 0.8 and 1.2.
High subsonic wind tunnels, between Mach 0.4 and 0.75, and transonic wind tunnels, between Mach 0.75 and 1.2, are designed on the same principles as the subsonic wind tunnels. Testing at transonic speeds presents additional problems, mainly due to the reflection of the shock waves from the walls of the test section.
The subsonic speed range is that range of speeds within which, all of the airflow over an aircraft is less than Mach 1. The critical Mach number (Mcrit) is lowest free stream Mach number at which airflow over any part of the aircraft first reaches Mach 1. So the subsonic speed range includes all speeds that are less than Mcrit. Transonic: 0.8–1.2
Their critical Mach numbers are higher than those of subsonic and transonic aircraft, but are still less than Mach 1.0. The actual critical Mach number varies from wing to wing. In general, a thicker wing will have a lower critical Mach number, because a thicker wing deflects the airflow passing around it more than a thinner wing does, and thus ...
The transonic speed range is that range of speeds within which the airflow over different parts of an aircraft is between subsonic and supersonic. So the regime of flight from Mcrit up to Mach 1.3 is called the transonic range. [citation needed] Northrop X-4 Bantam (Mach 0.9) — Supersonic [1.2–5)
A problem is called subsonic if all the speeds in the problem are less than the speed of sound, transonic if speeds both below and above the speed of sound are present (normally when the characteristic speed is approximately the speed of sound), supersonic when the characteristic flow speed is greater than the speed of sound, and hypersonic ...
In these transonic speed ranges, compressibility causes a change in the density of the air around an airplane. During flight, a wing produces lift by accelerating the airflow over the upper surface. This accelerated air can, and does, reach supersonic speeds, even though the airplane itself may be flying at a subsonic airspeed (Mach number < 1.0
A F/A-18F during transonic flight. A vapor cone (also known as a Mach diamond, [1] shock collar, or shock egg) is a visible cloud of condensed water that can sometimes form around an object moving at high speed through moist air, such as an aircraft flying at transonic speeds. When the localized air pressure around the object drops, so does the ...