sonic boom
Barrier-breaking report
A sonic boom is the explosive sound produced when an object travels faster than the speed of sound.
The shock wave created by supersonic aircraft, rockets, or other fast-moving objects reaches the ground as a sudden, loud thunderclap: Windows rattled from the sonic boom.
The term also appears figuratively for any dramatic impact: The announcement hit the industry like a sonic boom.
Armed military aircraft
- afterburnerExhaust-stream fuel injector
- thrustForceful forward motion
- cockpitPilot's control compartment
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
flyover · Concorde · SR-71 · flight path · pilot · aircraft · turbojet · ramjet
Explosive atmospheric sound
- explosionViolent burst of energy
- blastSudden forceful burst
- rumbleLow rolling sound
- shudderConvulsive trembling from fear
tremor · jolt · concussion · reverberation · percussion · startle · disturbance · car alarms
Propagating pressure disturbance
- overpressurePressure exceeding ambient levels
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- wavefrontSurface of equal phase
- MachSonic speed ratio
pressure wave · propagation · cone · threshold · aerodynamics · drag · airspeed · velocity
Overwhelmingly loud
- thunderousExtremely loud, resounding
- earsplittingExtremely, painfully loud
- explosiveProne to sudden detonation
- roaringMaking prolonged loud noise
piercing · booming · resounding · cacophonous · reverberating · blast · crack · bang
fighter jet
Armed military aircraft
- afterburnerExhaust-stream fuel injector
- thrustForceful forward motion
- cockpitPilot's control compartment
altitude · flyover · Concorde · SR-71 · flight path · pilot · aircraft · turbojet · ramjet · scramjet
thunderclap
Explosive atmospheric sound
shudder · tremor · jolt · concussion · reverberation · percussion · startle · disturbance · car alarms · shattered glass
shockwave
Propagating pressure disturbance
- overpressurePressure exceeding ambient levels
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- wavefrontSurface of equal phase
Mach · pressure wave · propagation · cone · threshold · aerodynamics · drag · airspeed · velocity · amplitude
deafening
Overwhelmingly loud
- thunderousExtremely loud, resounding
- earsplittingExtremely, painfully loud
- explosiveProne to sudden detonation
roaring · piercing · booming · resounding · cacophonous · reverberating · blast · crack · bang · rumble
stealth
Secret, undetected movement
- interceptorAircraft that intercepts threats
- sortieArmed raid outward
- combatArmed hostile engagement
reconnaissance · tactical · bomber · fighter · squadron · airspace · radar · missile · dogfight · warplane
- aircraft sounds
- aviation soundscabin noise, wind noise
- SupersonicsMach number, shock wave, Mach 1, Mach 2, hypersonic
- soundechoes, acoustics, vibrations, audio, volume
- soundsbeeps, listen, sounds, hear, buzzes
- aerospaceairplane, helicopter, rocket, rockets, spacecraft
sonic boomstandstill
Total cessation of movement
stasis · crawl · slow motion · idle
sound, boom, boomerang, sonorous, sonic, resonate, supersonic, ultrasonic, subsonic