Sonic boom and the "rise time" of the shock which makes the boom seem louder. On most aircraft designs the characteristic distance is about , meaning that below this altitude the sonic boom will be "softer". However, the drag at this altitude or below makes supersonic travel particularly inefficient, which poses a serious problem. 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
Acoustic shock Acoustic shock Acoustic shock is the symptoms a person may experience after hearing an unexpected, loud sound. The loud sound, called an Acoustic Incident, can be caused by feedback oscillation, fax tones, or signalling tones. Telemarketers and call centre employees are thought to be most at risk. During the exposure, most people will experience discomfort and pain. After the exposure, some people might report shock, nausea and anxiety or depression. Headache, fatigue, hypersensitivity to loud noise and tinnitus may continue for days, weeks or indefinitely. It has not been established how such unrelated symptoms might be caused by an acoustic