[meteorite-list] NP Article, 05-1950 Meteorite Sounds, Nininger

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From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:25:40 2004
Message-ID: <BAY4-DAV111ai4omRXf00001ceb_at_hotmail.com>

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Title: Reno Gazette =20
City: Reno, Nevada =20
Date: Monday, May 01, 1950
Page: 16

Meteoric Sounds Stories of Skies
By J. Hugh Pruett
Astronomer, Extension Division Oregon Higher Education System

Last week we explained that the sound most commonly heard from meteorites=
in flgith is not the thud when they strike the arth of the final explosi=
on in the air. Rather, it is due to the intense "shock wave" they create =
when tearing through the upper air at speeds of 20 to 40 miles per second=
.
Often an observer does not connect the gutteral rumbling with the visual =
meteor since the sound may arrive two to five minutes after the fireball =
is seen. In the cold upper air, sound travels approxiamtely 11 miles a mi=
nute. If the sound arrives three minutes after the visual appearence, the=
nearest cause originated about 33 miles from the observer.
According to the recent researches on upper air conditions, meteoric deto=
nations are not apt to reach the earth when the commotion detonation prod=
ucing them takes place more than 30 or 35 miles above ground. The warm oz=
one layer extending down from there for several miles would reflect sound=
originating above that height back into the higher atmospheric regions. =
That produced below this would reach the earth.
Every meteor tracer is familiar with the fact that five or ten per cent o=
f all reports on a big fireball will mention that a whizzing noise like a=
sky rocket was heard at the time the meteor was seen in flight. These so=
unds have long been called "psychological," and were thought to be due to=
sudden excitement on the part of the observer and imperfect memory of th=
e event later. Dr. Wylie of Iowa says "college professors have never hear=
d them." (But such men are noted for extreme absent-mindedness.) Known la=
ws of sound propagation permit no such instantaneous transmission.
But the advocates of "hissing" meteors are gradually gaining supporters. =
Dr. H. H. Nininger, the national expert on such matters, is definitely co=
nvinced that such sounds are sometimes heard. The present writer, once a =
scoffer at the idea, after studying 2000 or 3000 reports received during =
the last 18 years is almost convinced. Dr. Nininger does not believe such=
sounds travel on air waves, but that some electrical effects are induced=
in the proper materials on the earth near the observer which are transfo=
rmed into vibrations. Such electro-magnetic waves traveling at the speed =
of 186,300 miles a second, would seem instantaneous.
If a current of electricity is started in a coil of wire, another coil ne=
arby - but with no wire connections with the first - will have a current =
"induced" in it. Radio waves in space are transformed into sound by a pro=
perly constructed receiver. One man claimed constant annoyance from a rad=
io station after having silver fillings put into his teeth. A snap is som=
etimes heard somewhere simultaneously with a flash of lightning.
Perhaps some persons are better attuned than the general run to detect ce=
rtain unexplained phenomena.

Please visit, www.MeteoriteArticles.com, a free on-line archive of meteor=
and meteorite articles.

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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV> Title: Reno Gazette City: Reno, Nevada <=
P>Date: Monday, May 01, 1950 Page: 16   Met=
eoric Sounds Stories of Skies By J. Hugh Pruett Astronomer,=
Extension Division Oregon Higher Education System   L=
ast week we explained that the sound most commonly heard from meteorites =
in flgith is not the thud when they strike the arth of the final explosio=
n in the air. Rather, it is due to the intense "shock wave" they create w=
hen tearing through the upper air at speeds of 20 to 40 miles per second.=
 Often an observer does not connect the gutteral rumbling with the=
visual meteor since the sound may arrive two to five minutes after the f=
ireball is seen. In the cold upper air, sound travels approxiamtely 11 mi=
les a minute. If the sound arrives three minutes after the visual appeare=
nce, the nearest cause originated about 33 miles from the observer. <=
P>According to the recent researches on upper air conditions, meteoric de=
tonations are not apt to reach the earth when the commotion detonation pr=
oducing them takes place more than 30 or 35 miles above ground. The warm =
ozone layer extending down from there for several miles would reflect sou=
nd originating above that height back into the higher atmospheric regions=
. That produced below this would reach the earth. Every meteor tra=
cer is familiar with the fact that five or ten per cent of all reports on=
a big fireball will mention that a whizzing noise like a sky rocket was =
heard at the time the meteor was seen in flight. These sounds have long b=
een called "psychological," and were thought to be due to sudden exciteme=
nt on the part of the observer and imperfect memory of the event later. D=
r. Wylie of Iowa says "college professors have never heard them." (But su=
ch men are noted for extreme absent-mindedness.) Known laws of sound prop=
agation permit no such instantaneous transmission. But the advocat=
es of "hissing" meteors are gradually gaining supporters. Dr. H. H. Ninin=
ger, the national expert on such matters, is definitely convinced that su=
ch sounds are sometimes heard. The present writer, once a scoffer at the =
idea, after studying 2000 or 3000 reports received during the last 18 yea=
rs is almost convinced. Dr. Nininger does not believe such sounds travel =
on air waves, but that some electrical effects are induced in the proper =
materials on the earth near the observer which are transformed into vibra=
tions. Such electro-magnetic waves traveling at the speed of 186,300 mile=
s a second, would seem instantaneous. If a current of electricity =
is started in a coil of wire, another coil nearby - but with no wire conn=
ections with the first - will have a current "induced" in it. Radio waves=
in space are transformed into sound by a properly constructed receiver. =
One man claimed constant annoyance from a radio station after having silv=
er fillings put into his teeth. A snap is sometimes heard somewhere simul=
taneously with a flash of lightning. Perhaps some persons are bett=
er attuned than the general run to detect certain unexplained phenomena.<=
/P>   Please=
visit, www.MeteoriteArticles.com, a free on-line archive of meteor and m=
eteorite articles.</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Wed 14 May 2003 03:07:53 AM PDT

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