Hyperloop: riding sound’s density peak to exploit the drag equation

Hyperloop is Elon Musk’s proposed means of travel that could enable a trip between San Francisco and LA in 30 minutes (which would mean you travel at roughly the speed of sound). He is supposed to be revealing an “alpha” design in August. Charles thinks he has finally worked it out what it will be, and passengers should find themselves travelling at exactly the speed of sound.

Hyperloop

The method Charles Alexander proposes would enable extremely low drag (i.e. air resistance) at sea-level altitude without doing anything that has to affect the air across the whole loop (e.g. evacuating the entire tube or circulating the entire column of air). The key is a combination of a scaling property of the high-velocity drag equation and a clever way to exploit it by traveling within the density peak of an intense low-frequency sound wave.

Hyperloop: riding sound’s density peak to exploit the drag equation | Charles Alexander Blog