A breakup will increase surface area and therefore kinetic energy to shockwave transfer efficiency, still not an explosion.
It would however, be incorrect to claim that the meteor had noting to do with explosions.
The term makes people think atmospheric heating causes an actual steam explosion and that's the source of shockwave, which can't be further from truth.
PSA: expressing an opinion (incorrect or otherwise) is not actually a public service announcement
1970-01-01•2d ago