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2D Doppler Effect — Top-Down Wavefront Simulator

2D top-down Doppler-effect simulator: a moving sound source really emits expanding circular wavefronts at fixed real time intervals, compressing ahead and stretching behind purely from source motion. Drag the observer anywhere and read the live f_obs = f_source*v_sound/(v_sound - v_radial) frequency, with an optional Web Audio tone that actually shifts pitch.

Everyday Physics2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted💨 Air & Wind ⇄ 3D version

This 2D top-down companion to the 3D Doppler Effect laboratory emits genuine circular wavefronts from the source's actual position at fixed real time intervals, each expanding at the true speed of sound — the compression ahead and stretching behind emerge purely from the source's motion between emissions, never from a pre-shaped formula. Drag the observer to any point in the plane and the live frequency readout is computed from the general instantaneous Doppler formula, f_obs = f_source · v_sound / (v_sound − v_radial), using the actual radial component of the source's velocity toward that observer. An optional Web Audio tone shifts pitch by the same ratio the readout shows.

⚙ Under the hood

2D top-down Doppler-effect simulator: a moving sound source really emits expanding circular wavefronts at fixed real time intervals, compressing ahead and stretching behind purely from source motion between emissions. Drag the observer anywhere in the plane and read the live frequency from the general instantaneous Doppler formula f_obs = f_source*v_sound/(v_sound - v_radial), with an optional Web Audio tone that actually shifts pitch to match.

Doppler EffectSound WavesFrequency ShiftWavefrontsMoving SourceMach ConeWeb Audio

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install