Boom-producing surface motion involves extreme acceleration but modest velocity

Evidence

The velocity and pressure components of a sound wave are also related to each other in terms of the density and springiness of the propagating medium. A propagating medium that has a low density and weak springs would have a higher amplitude in its velocity component for a given pressure amplitude compared with a medium that is denser and has stronger springs. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 165 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Widespread sonic booms need not originate from supersonic sources; Methane clathrate decomposition may explain mysterious shoreline booms; Suddenness of displacement, not speed, determines whether a boom is audible (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Sonic boom overpressure is only about a tenth of a percent of atmospheric pressure #expands (0.80)
• Properly timed small impulses can drive a massive system to immense momentum #corroborates (0.75)
• Medium density and elasticity shape the pressure-velocity amplitude relation #expands (0.72) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 165