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The big mystery...

PlantAKiss

Moderator Schmoderator Fluorescent fluorite, Engl
For the past 3 weeks something very mysterious has been going on in my neighborhood. I thought I'd tell you about it and see if anyone has any ideas on this.

An area about of about 10 blocks (including my house) is being hit with repeated "explosions". These are loud and so forceful they shake the house...very much like an earthquake. The first one (that I am aware of) happened about 3 weeks ago or so very late on Sunday nite...near 2 a.m. It was a huge boom that shook my whole house. I thought it was something happening in my house but I couldn't find anything amiss. The next nite...same thing. An even larger explosion that shook my house. It feels like a truck crashing into the house. Again...could find no explanation for it. The third nite...there were 3 explosions with a half an hour time period.

By that time, word was getting out. It was being reported on local TV stations. City officials were getting involved. Since then, the explosions have continued in a random way...some are louder/larger than others but they all shake our houses. They have interviewed some residents on TV and some people have had household items knocked to the floor, wall pictures knocked crooked and a friend's sister had her birdbath top broken when it was shaken off the stand. So we are talking VERY big explosions and vibrations strong enough to cause damage similar to a small earthquake.

City officials have ruled out: trouble in the gas and sewer lines, seismic acitivity (earthquake), military actions (sonic booms), terrorism, unusual activity at the nearby railyard, and heavy construction. They are mystified. They can find no explanation or cause for these explosions. They are now asking residents to call 911 to report all the "booms" so they can track and plot the area affected.

Just a few minutes ago, around 1 p.m., there was another HUUUGE explosion. It felt like my house was coming down. It scared the crap outta me!
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So...does anyone have any theories on what could cause something like this? Anyone experienced anything like it? Its pretty strange to have explosions this big and no one can find out the cause. Its pretty nerve wracking because you don't know when its going to happen and how strong it will be. City officials have mentioned something about a prank...but what kind of prank could shake homes over a 10 block radius?

I'm mystified, concerned and a nervous wreck. It is most unsettling to feel like your house is blowing up.
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Wow. Look at the bright side though... No harm has come to you or your plants (or house) right?
Keep us updated!
Maybe it's some prankster making bombs... They pretty much ruled out everything except that, UFO's, wormholes, etc. LOL...
 
I may have an explanation.
What you are describing was very common in the coastal area. We were told that they were the continental plate shifting offshore.
What you're describing sounds to me more like a sonic boom. Even though that was been ruled out, remember you live pretty close to one of the largest naval stations. You know how the military are with denying things like this.
Those are the only two things I can think of that would be the cause. Keep us informed on this.
 
The closest tectonic plate to Virginia is the Midatlantic Ridge, I think the distance would rule that out - or at least it would be felt over a much larger area. I vote for the military keeping something they're doing hushed up.
 
Well...they have contacted the military who says no military activity or planes. They say there is no recorded seismic acitivity (which is hard to believe unless those things don't pick up vibrations in a very small area like a neighborhood).

There was another one just about an hour ago. Not as huge as the first one but big enough. That's three in less than 24 hours.
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Tonite there is a meeting for the neighborhood. I'm going to go and see what they say. I'll let you know if they have any more info.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]at least it would be felt over a much larger area.
That's why I'm leaning toward the sonic boom theory.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]The closest tectonic plate to Virginia is the Midatlantic Ridge, I think the distance would rule that out
While I can't say what you're saying is untrue, I use to live along the coast in NC and there was a reoccurring event that make a huge boom sound and the ground would shake.The local newspaper and teachers said it was a shift in the continental plate. I have very little knowledge of tectonic plates. I can only tell you what I've experienced and what I was told.
I have also experienced a sonic boom. They feel and sound very different. A sonic boom is a sudden huge BOOM followed with a little rumbling. The plate shift (or whatever it was) starts with a low far away rumbling and quickly builds loud booming and the ground shaking
 
If the boom is sudden then i would say its a sonic boom. I know that there is an important airbase in the vicinity. I live close to Offut S.A.C. and I too know what sonic booms sound like. We had a string of "Mysterious" booms like what you describe, the airbase said no but after a few times, someone caught a plane or craft of some sort on video. They still denied it was them, ya know how they are especially if they are testing something "Classified".

I say probably a sonic boom and they are testing something "Secret"

Joe
 
I agree, but one major question. Why would the military test something over a heavy populated area like Richmond?
If they are responsible for the booms, even if it's a conventional aircraft, why would they do it over and over? I would think that the reason they would deny this is because they will be responsible for any damages.
 
Every part of the earth's surface is part of a tectonic plate.  The plate boundary closest to the eastern US is the Mid Atlantic Ridge.

I remember hearing something about booms like that years ago - maybe in one of my geology classes taught by a professor who had spent a lot of time in the Carolinas.  But I can't remember anything more about them.

But you'll rarely go wrong doubting a military denial and aircraft are a likely source for what you're experiencing.
 
  • #10
I am not sure, I have never been to Richmond but Omaha/Bellevue area is quite populated and they still did it. I am not sure but I think it is illegal to sonic boom over urban areas ,but it does happen.

Joe
 
  • #11
When I was a kid, my friends would make 'bombs' for blowing up peoples' mailboxes. They were loud. Pranksters would be my guess. Oh, or how about aliens. Spaceships might make sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere
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  • #12
Sorry, I did mean to say the closest active plate boundaryis the Midatlantic ridge - you know how it is... sometimes when you're responding you assume everyone knows what you are thinking. Is it just in your neighborhood or can areas around you (other parts of the city) hear/feel it also?
 
  • #13
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Why would the military test something over a heavy populated area like Richmond?
I was watching "unsolved mysteries" the other day, and there was a toxic-jelly shower somewhere. They said it might have been the military trying out weapons or something :p Anybody know what I'm talking about? What was the city? etc.? I want to find out more :p
 
  • #14
Ok...well I'm back from the meeting. It was a HUGE turnout--all seats taken, people were standing everywhere they could find, people up on the stage and a ton of people who couldn't even get in the room. That shows the level of concern there is. Plus today has been unusually heavy activity...two massive explosions, several medium ones and a number of small ones. That's the heaviest its ever been. Everyone remarked on how odd it was that that happened the day of the meeting. The room was abuzz with stories. One lady found her water heater turned knocked over at an angle as well as a large, heavy piece of furniture knocked over. A sonic boom is not going to do THAT.

At the meeting was the city councilman for this area, the city manager, the fire chief, a guy from the city utilities dept., representatives from the police department and several other officials. There were lots of TV cameras and news reporters so it will be on the news tonite. They did say that although this "thing" has been most reported in my neighborhood (Northside), there are other areas reporting the same thing, particularly today with the two biggies. So apparently although this isn't city-wide, its in more neighborhoods than mine.

They assured everyone that this phenomenon is being taken very seriously. They recounted all the agencies that are involved in the investigation and what they have NOT found (gas leaks, earthquakes, etc.). Although they have pretty much ruled out a number of things, they will not say conclusively that anything has been totally ruled out. There were many questions and suggestions. One major problem is a lack of a way to report these events. I was pleased that a number of people spoke up to report problems with the phone numbers and dispatchers that are taking the calls. They are going to set up a website and possibly a dedicated phone line for reporting these events. There needs to be a way to track the times, areas and strength of the "booms."

These events are variable. No rhyme or reason as to when they happen, frequency or strength. They started out happening late at nite (1:30-2 a.m.). Now that is more random...one at 8 p.m. Saturday nite...and many today throughout the day. Sometimes they are HUGE...like two today. Sometimes it feels like something is exploding directly underneath your house. Sometimes they are more distant and not as strong. It is undetermined if there is an "epicenter."

They have had firetrucks around the neighborhood all day today (I could hear them driving by). There will be a heavy presence of police, fire and other city authorities from now on. They might be bringing the ATF into this. There are many more tests being planned including something with triangle of cameras and sound equipment which can determine direction...or something like that.

People (including ME) are getting very nervous as there is no way of knowing if the explosions will get worse. Today has certainly shown in increase in activity and strength.

The most intriguing thing to come out of the meeting is that a couple of people spoke up and said they had done research and discovered that this phenomenon has been reported in other areas across the country including Canada. Another person mentioned there can be small breaks happening in ground that are like small cracks that would not register as an earthquake as the direction is different.

They are setting up a Task Force to do more study. There will be another neighborhood meeting sometime in the future (hopefully in a larger room!).

Its the element of the unknown that has everyone so nervous. I'm as jumpy as a cat...too many booms and rattles today.
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I feel it has to be in the ground...like maybe the cracks in the plate. It always feels like its coming from underneath.

Whatever it is...it sure has everyone talking and scrambling to find out what it is. There is no "prank" imaginable that could cause this vibration over such a large area. And the frequency of them today I think rules out sonic booms (and the military has assured the city its nothing they are doing).

Well...there went another one!! A small one. And there was a small one just before the meeting started. I was rather hoping for one of the biggies so the TV cameras could catch it. No such luck.
 
  • #15
How long does it last? sonic booms are extremely brief. I doubt its a prank too.
 
  • #16
Were is Mulder and Scully when you need them!

Hang in there till they figure it out.
 
  • #17
They are fast...its not a long rumble like an earthquake (we just had one of those a several months ago). Its more like an explosion...Kaa-BOOOM!!!...fast, loud and forceful. Shakes the house, rattles windows not to mention scares the **** out of you because you aren't expecting it.
 
  • #18
yeah its probably a sonic boom. even if it was a prank it would probably be at least a 2-3 second explosion. Sonic booms are forceful and last only about .1 seconds
 
  • #20
Earthquakes can hit like that as well.. at least up here.. I know I have felt a few that just hit the house with a loud *boom* .. and when we lived by a lake the ice cracking would have the same effect.. but condsidering the area I'm sure that isn't it .. sounds scary though
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