Supersonic aircraft shockwave research. Schlieren image of shockwaves forming around a T-38 supersonic jet as it flies faster than the speed of sound. These shockwaves are heard on the ground as a sonic boom. This imagery was created by NASA researchers as part of the Air-to-Air Background Oriented Schlieren (AirBOS) flights, photographed from a B-200 aircraft. The camera system used in the AirBOS flight series enabled the supersonic aircraft to be photographed from much closer (around 600 metres away), resulting in a much clearer image compared to previous studies. The aircraft is a Northrop T-38 Talon jet trainer. The research will be used to develop future advanced supersonic aircraft.