What causes a sonic boom?

Sonic boom is an impulsive noise similar to thunder. It is caused by an object moving faster than sound -- about 750 miles per hour at sea level. An aircraft traveling through the atmosphere continuously produces air-pressure waves similar to the water waves caused by a ship's bow.

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2024-02-01 10:27:09

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Does a sonic boom hurt?
Sonic booms produced by aircraft flying supersonic at altitudes of less than 100 feet, creating between 20 and 144 pounds overpressure, have been experienced by humans without injury. Damage to eardrums can be expected when overpres- sures reach 720 pounds.
2024-02-05 03:42:11

How strong is a sonic boom?
The strongest sonic boom ever recorded was 144 pounds per square foot and it did not cause injury to the researchers who were exposed to it. The boom was produced by a F-4 flying just above the speed of sound at an altitude of 100 feet.
2023-10-03 17:08:07

Can a sonic boom be quiet?
NASA's X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology aircraft, or QueSST, is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without producing a loud, disruptive sonic boom, which is typically heard on the ground below aircraft flying at such speeds.
2023-04-06 02:44:27

Will a sonic 3 be made?
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be speeding into cinemas on December 20, 2024, assuming there aren't any delays. This was confirmed in early August 2022, marking a slightly longer wait than fans are used to for Sonic's big-screen adventures.
2023-04-03 18:22:58

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