The Blast that was not....

Image Courtesy: The Daily Mail UK

The Blast that was not....

SIRSA NEWS 

( www.SirsaNews.com )

29 November, 2016

Pictures and Videos: GS Mann, Amar Singh

The Blast that was not a blast.

Today late in the evening, a loud blast like sound suddenly made people of Sirsa and surrounding panicked out of no reason. Suddenly there was a big spurt of messages on social media about the BLAST that for a couple of hours replaced the plethora of Anti and Pro Demonetization messages.

Then it was observed by many that it could be Sonic Boom of a jet flight from local Air Force station. Few journalists call up Air Force reception and were told that perhaps no flight has taken place. SP Sirsa was also unable to comment on it initially.

However the fact is that it was not a Blast but Sound of SONIC BOOM.

Here is how it happens, and why it may not be from any flight taken locally. Actually the Aircraft need not to be the one that takes flight from Sirsa Air Force Station; in fact the takeoff from Sirsa Station may not be able to attain Supersonic speed so quickly. A jet plane (that has supersonic speed ability) that is passing over, when attains supersonic level creates a Sonic Boom, it is instead of just one is rather a series of continuous Blast like BOOMS which can be heard over a very long distance. As they are in series close to each other, mostly at one place only one big boom (or two) can be perceived by ear. This is perhaps what happened last night.

Here are two very good links that explain this phenomenon in layman’s language and also another one that gives greater details. This link comes from reputed science journal : Scientific American and is  written in very simple language to explain about Sonic Boom: www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-when-an-airc/ And the second link below gives more complex and detailed information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_boom A reasonable knowledge of Physics is required to understand second link properly.

Also watch: http://sirsanews.blogspot.in/2009/03/surya-kiran-aerobatics-enthrall.html [

Surya Kiran Aerobatics Enthrall Citizens at Air Force Station Sirsa.]