Sonic Boom
An explosive impulsive acoustic thunderclap heard on the ground when an object travels faster than the speed of sound.
Governing formula
sin α = 1 / M (Mach Cone Angle)
SI unit
dB / Pa
In depth
When an aircraft exceeds Mach 1, overlapping sound wavefronts form a conical Mach shock wave that sweeps continuously along the ground path behind the jet.
Examples in the real world
The loud double-bang heard on the ground when the Space Shuttle or Concorde flew overhead supersonically.