Wonder
This is not directly connected with aircraft but the effect can explain some things. first it is said curosity killed the cat, could say
curosity also can create learning.
Know two factors> first seperated air always returns to it's origional location. Secondly a lightning bolt travels faster than the
speed of sound. It seperates air and we hear the result as thunder.
What is thunder? Believe it is the sound of seperated air returning
to it's origional posistion, much energy is obviously envolved. The
energy is stored in the seperated air by the velocity of the lightning bolt.
Now less relate this to an aircraft passing through the sound barrier.
Zoni boom>at Mach .8 there is no boom, also no boom at Mach 1.2. It is said the boom is caused by the air seperated by the craft
returning to origional location. ala thunder?
Curosity question 1>why does the returning air not create a sound until exactly Mach 1?
2> why does the boom stop after passing through Mach 1? Surely
the air is still moving and energy stored?
Replies to this post could be interesting?

Hal deBolt