Yliäänipamaus

Yliäänipamaus, known in English as a sonic boom, is the sound associated with the shock waves created when an object travels through the air faster than the speed of sound. The speed of sound varies depending on factors like temperature and altitude, but it is approximately 343 meters per second at sea level and 20 degrees Celsius.

When an aircraft or other object exceeds this speed, it continuously generates pressure waves. These waves are unable to move out of the object's path and therefore accumulate, forming a shock wave. This shock wave is a region of abrupt pressure change. As the object moves, these shock waves propagate outwards, and when they reach an observer, they are perceived as a loud noise, the sonic boom.

The characteristic "boom" sound is often a double boom, caused by two shock waves: one from the nose of the object and another from the tail. The intensity and characteristics of the sonic boom depend on factors such as the size and shape of the object, its altitude, speed, and atmospheric conditions. While often associated with supersonic aircraft, any object moving faster than sound, such as a whip cracking or a meteor entering the atmosphere, can produce a sonic boom. It is a common phenomenon during military aircraft testing and supersonic flight.