yliäänipamausta

Yliäänipamaus, also known as a sonic boom, is the sound accompanying an object traveling through the air at supersonic speeds. It is produced by shock waves created by the rapid displacement of air. When an object exceeds the speed of sound, which is approximately 343 meters per second in dry air at 20 degrees Celsius, it outruns the pressure waves it generates. These waves then coalesce into shock waves that propagate outwards.

The characteristic "boom" sound is actually a pair of booms, one from the nose of the object and another from its tail. These booms are heard by an observer on the ground when the shock waves pass over them. The intensity and frequency of the sonic boom depend on factors such as the object's size, shape, altitude, and speed, as well as atmospheric conditions like temperature and humidity.

Aircraft traveling at supersonic speeds, such as fighter jets, are the most common source of sonic booms. However, other phenomena can also generate them. For instance, a whip cracked very quickly can produce a sonic boom as its tip exceeds the speed of sound. Meteors entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speeds can also create sonic booms. While often startling, sonic booms are a natural consequence of supersonic flight and atmospheric physics.