# Supersonic @60K feet: how loud @ground? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 7, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-60k-feet-how-loud-ground/759319 "2016-07-07T17:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-60k-feet-how-loud-ground/759319/1 "2016-07-07T17:21:00Z")
Inspired by [this discussion of supersonic passenger transport.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=797780) Flying supersonic at low altitudes [tends to cause problems for nearby ground-dwellers.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjQXn3z7kJw) What about flying Mach 2 at 60K feet? How loud/destructive is the shock wave once it’s propagated 12 miles down to the ground? Is it just an annoyance, or is it enough to break windows and such? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-60k-feet-how-loud-ground/759319/2 "2016-07-07T17:24:55Z")
The size and shape of the aircraft will have a lot to do with it. I heard sonic booms from a Space Shuttle at much higher than 60,000 feet, but they sounded like distant thunder. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-60k-feet-how-loud-ground/759319/3 "2016-07-07T18:03:17Z")
Sound pressure decreases by 6 dB as the distance from the source is doubled.