Loud boom that shook house
- Thread starter snowygirl
- Start date
Grumpy
Well-Known Member
Didn't hear it on the other side of PF and I was outside with my dogs until a minute ago.
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
Look south towards Lusby. Is there a mushroom cloud?
Might have been someone out of PAX, they announced a couple weeks ago that some flights were going to go supersonic over the next few weeks. Although doing it so close to the new Southern Marylanders would be unusual.
Might have been someone out of PAX, they announced a couple weeks ago that some flights were going to go supersonic over the next few weeks. Although doing it so close to the new Southern Marylanders would be unusual.
snowygirl
Active Member
Ok good I thought I was hearing things. Pax River makes sense.
KingFish
Nothing to see here
I heard it too in Saint Leonard. Thought it was a long thunder rumble.
That makes sense. It's been over 60 years since I have experienced the sound of the sound barrier being broken. I grew up in the shadow of Andrews AFB and can remember in the late 50's early 60's hearing the jets over our homes. I loved watching them and once in a while one would break the sound barrier. They later changed the flight path and prohibited the pilots from breaking the barrier. Guess they broke too many windows.
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
ginwoman
Well-Known Member
I remember it in the late 60's and the 70's. My parents explained what it was so I didn't give it a second thought. Our windows would rattle. Also in downtown Hollywood, MD we could hear Dahlgren explosions too. Plus we were near the creosote plant on 235. We had it going on!
Grumpy
Well-Known Member
Probably one of those hypersonic balloons
3CATSAILOR
Well-Known Member
It's the sonic boom of the new electric vehicles going by.
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
You might not if the aircraft was high enough.
^That^ In the US an aircraft has to be above 30,000 feet unless in special airspace or have specific approval by FAA to go supersonic.
LightRoasted
If I may ...
For your consideration ...
Doesn't the 'speed of sound' change at higher altitudes due to the thinning of the air?
Doesn't the 'speed of sound' change at higher altitudes due to the thinning of the air?
NorthBeachPerso
Honorary SMIB
Yeah, it decreases. At sea level it's around 761 MPH. At 30K it's 670 MPH. For a sonic boom to be heard on the ground from that plane it has to be going 750 MPH.
It is more a function of temperature. Higher temperature, higher speed required to generate the shock wave. At 30,000 feet the speed needed for the boom to hit the ground would be 750 MPH at ground level. Also that wave will propagate about 1 mile per every 1,000 feet of altitude, which is why many people never see the plane or hear engine noise.