Wave drag is a type of aerodynamic drag that occurs when an object moves through a fluid medium, such as air, at speeds close to or exceeding the speed of sound. It is caused by the formation of shock waves around the object, particularly at supersonic speeds, which create high-pressure regions that resist the forward motion of the object.
Where:
- is the wave drag,
- is the air density,
- is the velocity of the object relative to the air,
- is the reference area (typically the wing area for aircraft),
- is the coefficient of wave drag.