Quiet Spike uses a different application of the same technique to shape the boom. It divides the bow shock into a series of smaller shockwaves, one generated by the tip and one by each of the ramps between the segments of the telescoping boom. The idea is that each of these smaller shockwaves stays separate all the way to the ground, instead of coalescing into one big overpressure spike, so that inside of a loud bang you get a more spread-out sound, like a muffled whoosh. A spike may also be needed on the tail to deal with the second pressure spike, theone that gives a sonic boom its characteristic N-wave signature and "double bang" sound.