Methods and apparatus to monitor a shock wave proximate a transonic surface

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first camera at a first location on an aircraft to:

capture a first image of a surface of the aircraft during a first time period; and

capture a second image of the surface during a second time period;

a second camera at a second location on the aircraft to:

capture a third image of the surface during the first time period; and

capture a fourth image of the surface during the second time period;

a position calculator to:

identify a first position of a shock wave proximate the surface based on the first and third images;

identify a second position of the shock wave proximate the surface based on the second and fourth images; and

calculate a difference between the first and the second positions; and

a command generator to generate a command to control at least one of an actuator or a control surface based on the difference.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a strobe light proximate the surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first time period is a time period where no shock waves are present and the second time period is a time period where shock waves are present.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first position and the second position of the shock wave are determined based on the shock wave positioned relative to a pattern on the surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein identifying the first position and the second position includes calculating a deformation of the surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a strength calculator to identify a strength of the shock wave based on calculating a density of air in the shock wave.

7. A method comprising:

capturing a first image of a surface of an aircraft during a first time period via a first camera at a first location on the aircraft;

capturing a second image of the surface during the first time period via a second camera at a second location on the aircraft;

identifying a first position of a shock wave proximate the surface based on the first and second images;

capturing a third image of the surface during a second time period via the first camera;

capturing a fourth image of the surface during the second time period via the second camera;

identifying a second position of the shock wave proximate the surface based on the third and fourth images;

calculating a difference between the first and the second positions; and

generating a command to control at least one of an actuator or a control surface based on the difference.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including activating a strobe light proximate the surface during the first and second time periods.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first time period is a time period where no shock waves are present and the second time period is a time period where shock waves are present.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the first position and the second position of the shock wave are includes determining a position of the shock wave relative to a pattern on the surface.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein identifying the first position and the second position includes calculating a deformation of the surface.

12. The method of claim 7 , further including identifying a first strength of the shock wave during the first time period and a second strength of the shock wave during the second time period, the first and second strengths based on calculating a density of air in the shock wave.

13. The method of claim 12 , further including calculating a difference between the first and the second strengths and generating a command to control at least one of an actuator and a control surface based on the difference.

14. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

capture a first image of a surface of an aircraft during a first time period via a first camera at a first location on the aircraft;

capture a second image of the surface during the first time period via a second camera at a second location on the aircraft;

identify a first position of a shock wave proximate the surface based on the first and second images;

capture a third image of the surface during a second time period via the first camera;

capture a fourth image of the surface during a second time period via the second camera;

identify a second position of the shock wave proximate the surface based on the third and fourth images;

calculate a difference between the first and the second positions; and

generate a command to control at least one of an actuator or a control surface based on the difference.

15. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , further including instructions that when executed, cause the machine to activate a strobe light proximate the surface during the first and second time periods.

16. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the first time period is a time period where no shock waves are present and the second time period is a time period where shock waves are present.

17. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein determining the first position and the second position of the shock wave are includes determining a position of the shock wave relative to a pattern on the surface.

18. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein identifying the first position and the second position includes calculating a deformation of the surface.

19. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , further including instructions that when executed, cause the machine to at least identify a first strength of the shock wave during the first time period and a second strength of the shock wave during the second time period, the first and second strengths based on calculating a density of air in the shock wave.

20. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further including instructions that when executed, cause the machine to at least calculate a difference between the first and the second strengths and generate a command to control at least one of an actuator and a control surface based on the difference.