Measurement and Examples
The pressure from sonic booms caused by aircraft often are a few pounds per square foot. A vehicle flying at greater altitude will generate lower pressures on the ground, because the shock wave reduces in intensity as it spreads out away from the vehicle, but the sonic booms are less affected by vehicle speed.
| Aircraft | speed | altitude | pressure (lbf/ft2) | pressure (Pa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR-71 | Mach 3 | 80,000 feet (24,000 m) | 0.9 | 43 |
| Concorde SST | Mach 2 | 52,000 feet (16,000 m) | 1.94 | 93 |
| F-104 | Mach 1.93 | 48,000 feet (15,000 m) | 0.8 | 38 |
| Space Shuttle | Mach 1.5 | 60,000 feet (18,000 m) | 1.25 | 60 |
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