Shockwaves never looked so smooth Ames researchers created a supercomputer simulation of the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft to analyze the vehicle's potential performance. The dark and bright regions represent shockwaves and pressure variations. Weaker shockwaves spread from the lower surface of the aircraft, resulting in reduced noise at ground level. Video credit: NASA Ames/ Marina Nemec, Patrick Moran | NASA Ames Research Center