Meteors hurtling through Earth's atmosphere can generate sonic booms with the energy of hundreds of tons of TNT, according to a new explainer from Phys.org. These cosmic projectiles, often remnants of the solar system's formation, penetrate the planet's protective air shield at extreme speeds.
The phenomenon occurs when a meteor travels faster than the speed of sound, compressing air molecules ahead of it into a shockwave. This sudden pressure change produces a thunder-like boom that can be heard for hundreds of miles, sometimes shaking ground structures.
Earth constantly sweeps through a cosmic ocean of ancient debris, though most of it burns up harmlessly high in the sky. The energy release from larger meteors, measured in hundreds of tons of TNT equivalent, rivals small nuclear explosions in raw power.
When such an event happens near populated areas, the sonic boom can shatter windows and trigger false earthquake alerts. Monitoring networks track these impacts using infrasound sensors designed to detect low-frequency pressure waves from distant explosions.
Experts note that while most meteor sonic booms are harmless, the potential for damage increases with size and proximity to cities. The key caveat: reported energy estimates are based on models, not direct measurements of every event.