When the cork pops on a bottle of champagne, the physics is akin to that of a missile launch in more ways than one. In this study, researchers used computational Keep reading
Tag: shock diamonds
Mach Diamonds
Rocket engines often feature a distinctive pattern of diamonds in their exhaust. These shock diamonds, also known as Mach diamonds, are formed as result of a pressure imbalance between the Keep reading
SpaceShipTwo Lights It Up
Monday morning Virgin Galactic and their partners at Scaled Composites reached a new milestone in their commercial sub-orbital spaceflight program, firing SpaceShipTwo’s main engine for the first time and accelerating Keep reading
Bottle Rocket Shock Waves
This high speed video shows schlieren photography of a bottle rocket’s exhaust. The supersonic CO2 leaving the nozzle is underexpanded, meaning its pressure is still higher than the ambient atmosphere. Keep reading
Vapor Cone
This stunning National Geographic photo contest winner shows an F-15 banking at an airshow and a array of great fluid dynamics. A vapor cloud has formed over the wings of Keep reading
Rocket Engine Test
[original media no longer available] In this static test of XCOR Aerospace’s Lynx rocket engine, Mach diamonds (shown at the top of the frame) are visible in the rocket exhaust. Keep reading
Rocket Engine Testing
Rocket engine tests usually feature a distinct and steady pattern of Mach diamonds in their exhaust. This series of reflected shock waves and expansion fans forms as a result of Keep reading
Rocket Diamonds
The exhaust of a Pratt and Whitney J58 shines with Mach diamonds, a series of shock waves and expansion fans that form to equalize the exhaust and ambient pressures. This Keep reading